Estelle's Adventures of Princess Tutu
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Estelle and Felicity get accepted into a prestigious school known as The Gold Crown Academy while Akito has been away at The Super Hero Academy for quite some time. There, Estelle meets her destiny to meet Ahiru, also known as Princess Tutu, and they both engage in adventures together as young ballerinas with elements of fantasy and magic.
1. Chapter 1

Estelle was in her bedroom with Dot and Teddy on the floor next to her, she then hugged her book and sighed in content. "I still can't believe Ahiru will disappear if she confesses her love to the prince... I can't imagine what would happen if I did that..."

"Estelle, your aunt is here." Mo came to her daughter.

"Huh?" Estelle blinked in confusion until she came downstairs to see Cherry with Felicity. "Hi, Aunt Cherry, what's kicking?" she then asked, borrowing Melody's catchphrase.

"I did a little favor for you." Cherry replied mysteriously.

"What kind of little favor?" Estelle asked.

"Well, Akito is at the Superhero Academy, I thought you'd like to have your own little experience..." Cherry said before she handed her foster niece a brochure to a special school called 'The Gold Crown Academy'.

"This looks amazing." Estelle smiled.

"I just saw it and thought of you." Cherry replied.

"When do I leave?" Estelle smiled.

"This weekend." Cherry replied.

"Thank you, Aunt Cherry!" Estelle beamed and gave her aunt a hug. "I love you!"

Cherry winced and forced a smile. "Iloveyoutoo,honey..." she then muttered out.

Estelle soon started to read the brochure. Cherry then patted Estelle on the head.

"So, Fliss, what're you doing here?" Estelle asked her cousin.

"Maman said if it was okay, I could go with you." Felicity rubbed her arm nervously with a small smile to her cousin.

"Cool." Estelle smiled.

Felicity smiled back. Estelle looked at the brochure with Felicity and saw that they would be living in a dorm and there were plenty of dance classes, which, of course, Estelle loved very much.

"Huh, looks like there are ranks in the school." Estelle said.

"Like honor students?" Felicity wondered.

"Yeah, like if you, uh, did great or perfect, then you'd be known as Lady Felicity." Estelle said.

"Oh, how elegant..." Felicity beamed. "It reminds me of Princess Sofia's school."

"Uh, yeah, but the classes will be different." Estelle said.

"Of course." Felicity agreed.

* * *

"That was so nice of you, Cherry, how'd you do it?" Atticus asked.

"I have my ways." Cherry replied mysteriously.

"You can tell me." Atticus said.

"I might've bribed them to accept Estelle and Felicity's applications." Cherry replied as she licked one of her fangs.

"And by bribe, you mean threaten that if they didn't accept them into their applications, then you would suck out all of their blood, right?" Atticus asked.

"Atticus, I can't believe you would take me for that!" Cherry replied. "But yes, and one of them found that out the hard way~..."

"Oh, my..." Atticus gulped.

"Hey, I like your daughter, she respects me..." Cherry said as she struck an overly dramatic pose that could rival Darla in her teenage years.

"Yes, I know." Atticus said.

"So, is your head gonna explode?" Cherry asked.

"I don't think so," Atticus shrugged honestly. "Drell told me that it was her destiny to meet Princess Tutu anyway... Even Uncle Sombra."

"Really?" Cherry asked.

"At least that's what she told me..." Atticus rubbed his arm.

"I was never really keen on Sombra..." Cherry replied as she mostly lived in the past.

"And why's that?" Atticus asked.

"He kinda scared me with that battle with the Crystal Empire." Cherry whispered.

"Cherry, that was a long time ago!" Atticus reminded her.

"I know, but he was so menacing..." Cherry shivered.

"Well, who knows? Maybe someday, he'll change." Atticus said.

Cherry groaned and shuddered about Sombra. Atticus sighed to her.

* * *

Estelle went right to her room and began to pack to get ready to go to the academy. "Oh, I can't wait to get there." She said with a smile.

"Me neither," Dot smiled back up to her owner. "I wonder if I can play fetch with you during Gym."

"They don't have Gym." Estelle said.

"Oh... Then maybe we can play fetch somewhere else." Dot said then.

"I'll make sure of it." Estelle smiled to her puppy.

"Yay!" Dot cheered.

Estelle giggled and pet her puppy. She sighed as she began to daydream about being at the Gold Crown Academy. Unknown to her, that was where she would meet Ahiru/Duck. Along with Felicity of course.

Later on, it was about time for Estelle to go to the academy as she was so excited and filled with anticipation.

"I can't wait to get there." Estelle smiled.

Felicity smiled back as she was happy for Estelle and she was going to experience this as well. Soon enough, they left after saying their goodbyes and were soon on their way to the academy. Atticus sniffled slightly before sighing.

"This reminds me of Witch Academy..." Mo said to her husband. "Remember how gut-wrenching that was?"

"How can I forget?" Atticus asked.

"Yeah, you were a student there too... What'd you call yourself?" Mo teased.

Atticus sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sonia Caster."

"Oh, that's right." Mo smirked.

Atticus hid a small smirk back.

"It was still cool that you were able to get Ms. Hag to make a Witch/Warlock/Wiccan/Wizard Academy so everyone could learn together." Mo smiled in memory.

"Just surprised that Edward didn't think of it first." Atticus chuckled about Hilda and Zelda's brother who was Sabrina's father.

"Yeah, same here." Mo said.

Atticus and Mo smiled to each other before sighing as their only daughter had gone off to start her life.

"Don't worry you two, she'll graduate soon as a ballerina," Cherry said. "Especially after the spell is broken."

"GAH!" Atticus and Mo yelped as she seemed to come from nowhere.

"Hi, guys." Cherry greeted.

"Where did you come from?" Atticus asked.

"I'm everywhere..." Cherry shrugged. "Thanks for letting Felicity go with Estelle, she really needs to get out of the house more."

"No problem." Mo said.

"I just hope she doesn't have a breakdown..." Cherry sighed. "Felicity hates crowds."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Atticus said.

* * *

Estelle and Felicity fell asleep on the way as it was quite a long way and Drell had given them a ride, but he soon shook them awake, but they didn't wake up.

Drell sighed as he then leaned over them and yelled like he liked to do. " **WAKE UP!** "

This caused the girls to scream.

"Glad to see you're awake." Drell smirked.

"Really?" Estelle glared.

Felicity also glared.

Drell laughed and ruffled up their hair. "Oh, you look just like your parents when you're grumpy."

Felicity hissed and her fangs seemed to twinkle from her rage.

"Anyway, wake up, you're here." Drell showed them the Gold Crown Academy.

"Amazing." Estelle smiled.

"It looks so beautiful..." Felicity looked amazed.

"I hope you have fun here," Drell told the girls. "I mean, you were taught by Barbie of all people about ballet and that girl has hundreds of jobs."

"We'll be fine." Estelle said.

"Okay, then I guess you don't want my company." Drell smirked innocently.

"Nope." Felicity said.

"Hm..." Drell hummed to them and then went away to let them get settled in.

Estelle bit her lip, she took a deep breath and went with Felicity to get registered into the academy, and where they saw a cat that was the size of a man.

"Wow, that cat's huge..." Felicity muttered.

"And it's walking on two feet." Estelle added.

"You must be Estelle Fudo and Felicity Forte." The creature greeted.

"Yes, sir." Estelle and Felicity replied with curtsies.

"And you are?" Felicity asked.

"I am Mr. Cat." The creature replied.

"Uh, have you always been a cat hybrid?" Estelle asked Mr. Cat.

"Yes," Mr. Cat replied like it was obvious. "Are you two ladies alone then?"

"Oui." Felicity replied.

"Oh, French..." Mr. Cat smirked to that. "You seem exotic~"

"Uh, o-oui, Monsieur Cat." Felicity said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Let's get you settled in then." Mr. Cat smirked.

"Yes, sir." Estelle said.

Mr. Cat nodded and led the girls over to one of the dorms.

"Ooh." The girls smiled.

* * *

"You will stay in a dorm, but, you might have to share a room with someone as we're a little crowded." Mr. Cat told them as he brought them to a door.

Estelle opened the door to see a girl who appeared to be talking to a bird that she recognized from the book that Sombra gave her. "Ahiru..." she then whispered quietly in content.

"Oh, hello." The orange-haired girl greeted with a smile.

"Um... Hi..." Estelle smiled back.

"New students?" Ahiru asked as they came in to meet her.

"I'm Estelle and this is my cousin Felicity." Estelle introduced.

Felicity greeted with a sheepish smile.

"One of you will have to share with Miss Duck," Mr. Cat said while not in Ahiru's view. "While the other is with one of the other girls."

"Uh, Felicity do you mind?" Estelle asked.

"I understand," Felicity replied before looking to Mr. Cat with a query. "So, which one will I be with?"

"Come with me." Mr. Cat showed Felicity to a different room.

There was a short dark pink-haired girl with a bun who was reading a book on her bed and then looked up once it opened.

"Pike, this is Felicity Forte, she'll be your new roommate." Mr. Cat introduced.

"Um, hello." Felicity greeted in her best English.

"Hey." Pike replied.

"Where is Lilie?" Mr. Cat asked.

"I think she's in the powder room..." Pike shrugged.

Mr. Cat then decided to leave to let the two girls get acquainted. Felicity sighed shyly as she came to the spare bed and decided to get settled into the room as she felt homesick already.

"You okay?" Pike asked.

"Oh, I'm fine..." Felicity stammered nervously. "I just get nervous around other people sometimes... I'm not as outgoing as my cousins are."

"You'll get used to it here." Pike assured.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile, back with Estelle and Ahiru/Duck..._**

Estelle took out her dance shoes and smiled. "I can't wait to start dancing."

"Ooh, you do ballet?" Ahiru asked in interest. "How long have you done ballet?"

"A few years." Estelle said.

"You must be great," Ahiru said before looking dreamy. "Maybe we can dance together with Mytho~"

"Is he a prince?" Estelle asked, acting like she didn't know.

"Oh, yes... I've always wanted to dance with him..." Ahiru sounded like she was in love. "I'd give anything to dance with Senior Mytho~..."

"Who knows?" Estelle shrugged. "Maybe someday you will."

Ahiru giggled and hugged Estelle. "I think I'm gonna like you."

"Um, thanks." Estelle smiled shyly.

They soon heard the ringing from the bell of the bell tower.

"Uh, what does that bell mean?" Estelle asked Ahiru.

"Oh, no, we have to get to class!" Ahiru panicked.

Estelle panicked then and ran with Ahiru. "Not a good start!"

Unknown to either of them; Felicity, Pike, and Lilly came out of their room, not knowing why the other girls were running.


	2. Chapter 2

"Uh, where are they going?" Felicity scratched her head.

"I think they misplaced their brains." Lilly teased.

"That's not nice." Felicity said.

"Aw, come on, Felicity, it's all good fun." Pike smirked.

"Hmm..." Felicity folded her arms with a pout.

"I bet she wakes up an hour early tomorrow." Lily said to Pike.

"Maybe." Pike shrugged.

"Wait up, Ahiru!" Estelle yelped as she followed the fastest and best that she could.

Ahiru soon looked up to one of the windows of the boy's dorm.

Estelle looked around with Ahiru. "Why are we looking at the boys' dorm?" she then whispered to Ahiru.

"BOYS' DORM?!" Ahiru exclaimed.

"Wait, you're looking for Mytho, aren't you?" Estelle smirked.

"What?! N-No!" Ahiru appeared to blush as Estelle smirked.

"Aha! I'm right!" Estelle laughed.

"Please be quiet!" Ahiru turned as red as her hair.

"Uh, Ahiru, weren't we on our way somewhere?" Estelle asked.

"Class!" Ahiru gaped. "Follow me."

Estelle nodded and then followed after Ahiru and where they soon rushed to a dance room.

* * *

"Ooh..." Estelle's eyes twinkled at the dance room as it was exactly as she had imagined.

"We're sorry we're late!" Ahiru cried out as she bowed her head.

No one answered, however.

"Are we early?" Estelle asked.

"No one's here..." Ahiru sighed. "This better not happen again tomorrow when the birds visit."

"I hope so too," Estelle said before noticing someone in the room. "Huh?"

The two girls stepped into the room as the door shut behind them. Some Swan Lake music began to play as a boy was shown in the room as he danced to the music much to their surprise. Ahiru gasped as she felt entranced by the music and dancing in the room.

 _'Who's that?'_ Estelle thought to herself as she saw the boy dancing.

"It's Mytho..." Ahiru whispered to herself in awestruck as she leaned forward a bit towards the boy like she was under a spell.

The boy soon took a very big leap through the air.

"Wooow..." Ahiru and Estelle whispered from that.

Mytho soon looked over to see that he had some company.

 _'Uh-oh, losing your concentration during a dance is bad.'_ Estelle thought to herself.

"Um... Sorry... We... Uh..." Ahiru stammered from the boy's gaze. "Are we disturbing you? We're disturbing you, aren't we?!" she said as her face turned red a bit.

"You're babbling!" Estelle tried to calm her new friend down.

"I am?" Ahiru asked. "Oh, boy, I am babbling, aren't I? I always start babbling when I'm nervous."

"I can tell." Estelle replied.

"And when I get nervous, I trip, I'm gonna trip, my feet!" Ahiru cried out before she began to slip backwards a bit. "I tripped..."

Mytho dove in very quickly as he came to help carry Ahiru in his arms before she would hit the floor.

'Whoa, he sure has quick reflexes.' Estelle thought to herself.

Ahiru was squealing on the inside as Mytho held onto her. "You're Mytho, wow... What beautiful eyes..." she whispered to herself. "I feel so drawn, but they look so lonely... He's like the prince I saw in my dreams..."

Estelle face-palmed a bit as Ahiru spoke up, but it was flirty babble due to her huge crush on Mytho.

"I'm sorry! I'm bothering you, huh?" Ahiru smiled nervously as she slithered out of Mytho's arms. "I'm really scatterbrained!"

"I better get you out of here." Estelle said to Ahiru.

"Please get me out of here." Ahiru begged her.

Estelle smiled sheepishly at Mytho as she took Ahiru out of the room before she would make herself look dumb.

* * *

The door soon opened on their way out to show another boy. "Hey."

"Senor Fakir!" Ahiru whispered with a gush.

"Hello, sorry, we were just leaving." Estelle told the boy.

"Hm... See that you do..." Fakir replied. "Excuse me, I have to have a little talk."

"Of course." Estelle said as she backed up a bit with Ahiru to leave the room.

But as they left the room, they saw Fakir stopping in front of Mytho.

"Did I not tell you to inform me when you go out?" The dark-haired boy demanded to the light-haired boy.

"Yes." Mytho replied from the floor.

"We're going," Fakir told him sharply. "Get up. ...What's wrong?"

"My foot." Mytho pouted.

"Your foot, did you twist it?" Fakir asked him firmly.

"Mm..." Mytho pouted from that.

"Hmph... Idiot." Fakir replied.

"Huh? WHAT?!" Ahiru gasped as she couldn't believe what Fakir just said to Mytho.

Fakir glanced over at both of the girls sharply.

"Um, i-it was my fault; he saved me when I tripped." Ahiru said.

"What were you thinking, doing a pointless thing?" Fakir scolded Mytho.

"So like I said, he was protecting me!" Ahiru panicked.

"That's why I said pointless," Fakir told her as he grabbed a hold of Mytho. "Stand up, let's go."

"You don't have to be so rough with him!" Estelle glared.

"Quiet!" Fakir scolded.

"Pointless, huh?" Ahiru firmly pouted. "Well, sure, maybe, but you don't have to say it so glumly, ya know."

A bell soon rang which caught the girls' attention.

"We should go." Estelle suggested to Ahiru.

"Right." Ahiru said.

At that, the two girls left to go somewhere else.

* * *

The other girls were all in the next room as they did their stretches and warm-ups as Ahiru soon told the girls what had happened to her and Estelle.

"Well, it's a good thing you two made it in time." Felicity said.

"I'm glad you at least made it." Estelle said to her cousin.

"I'm not sure if I'll stay here much longer," Felicity replied. "I'm very shy about dancing in public."

Estelle gave a small pout as she wished she could help that somehow as Ahiru told her friends what happened.

"You would've known if you had simply looked at a clock!" Pike scolded.

"I told you we were in a hurry." Ahiru pouted from that.

"That's what makes you so cute." Lilly smiled at Ahiru.

"At least they're supportive?" Felicity said to Estelle.

"Like you." Estelle smiled to cheer her up.

"Always stay our scatterbrained little Ahiru, okay?" Lilly beamed.

"But it's okay since you got to talk with Fakir, right?" Pike smirked as she leaned against Ahiru playfully.

"He isn't a very nice person!" Ahiru told her while in pain as that was putting on some pressure.

"What's that?!" Pike glared a bit as she leaned in over Ahiru as Lilly giggled. "Senor Fakir is the best!

"Senor Mytho is really the best!" Ahiru cried out from that.

"I am confused," Felicity said. "Is this being friends?"

"Probably a little teasing," Estelle replied. "Like Lexi would do with Duck. Erm... _Danger_ Duck that is."

"Oh, the wonderful Mytho already has Rue." Lily said.

Ahiru looked and felt a bit struck from that reveal.

"Feelings that cannot be returned and Ahiru with her unrequited love~" Lilly and Pike said together.

"How cute!~" Lilly beamed.

"Oh, boy..." Pike muttered out.

"She reminds me of Bubbles the Powerpuff Girl." Felicity said to Estelle.

"She sure does." Estelle nodded.

Someone soon walked into the room who seemed to be an anthropomorphic cat.

"The teacher's here." Pike stated calmly.

"Yes!" Ahiru added as she stood up straight and where she was soon surprised after seeing that the teacher was an anthropomorphic cat. "Cat?!"

The others looked at her with slight horror.

"That's Mr. Cat!" Pike whispered loudly at Ahiru.

"Mr. Cat?!" Ahiru replied.

"Something wrong?" Lilly asked.

"A cat for a teacher?" Ahiru asked wearily.

"I know, I was surprised when me and Felicity first met him too." Estelle whispered to Ahiru.

"It reminded me of my mother's story of when Salem taught her and the others the History of Warlocks for Charm School." Felicity said to herself.

Estelle gave a nod from that as she also knew that story as well.

"Now, now, let's be quiet!" Mr. Cat warned as he clapped his paws. "If you're not quiet, you will have to marry me!"

The other girls looked at him quietly before they all got in line to start their class for the day.

* * *

"Start in first position," Mr. Cat instructed. "Now, relevé and raise your arms into second position. Keep your legs completely straight! And now third position, raise your arms at an angle! Don't stick your bottoms out!"

Ahiru's mind seemed to be somewhere else since she didn't listen to anything else that Mr. Cat said. Estelle, of course, stayed focused and helped out her cousin when necessary.

"Your bottom." Mr. Cat called which startled Ahiru.

"Yes!" Ahiru yelped.

"Your mind was somewhere else, wasn't it?" Mr. Cat asked her firmly. "If you don't take this seriously, **I WILL HAVE YOU MARRY ME!** "

"Yes, sir! I'm sorry!" Ahiru cried out as she did the same position as the other girls and while she was doing that, Mr. Cat was seen cleaning his face.

* * *

After a while, it was time for a break.

"Now, we will watch a presentation from the special class," Mr. Cat told his class. "Everyone from the special class, come on in!"

The doors soon opened to show the students of the special class. One girl stood out among the crowd with her dark-colored leotard and slippers.

"Woooow!" The girls whispered in awestruck.

"Rue!" Ahiru gasped in amazement at that girl.

"She looks amazing." Estelle whispered.

A new dance soon began from the special class as Rue seemed to stand out among the other girls.

"Wow... So pretty!" Ahiru gushed.

"Yeah, so unlike Ahiru!" Lilly added which made the other girl slump down.

"Aw, she's depressed." Pike remarked.

"I could never be graceful like that." Felicity gave a small pout.

"Maybe, but you'll be unique." Estelle smiled.

"Hmm..." Felicity paused thoughtfully.

Rue and the other girls leapt about while Ahiru sighed with slight jealousy.

 _'For Senor Mytho and of course it would have to be someone like Rue to make a good match.'_ Ahiru thought to herself.

Estelle and Felicity watched Rue as it reminded them a bit of when Barbie taught them and Kelly a lot about ballet dancing, especially for The Nutcracker Suite. However, Ahiru fidgeted a bit which was not good to do around Mr. Cat.

"Ahiru, stop!" Estelle whispered.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cat noticed. "I won't indulge this anymore!" he then yelled out. "This time, I _will_ have you marry me!"

"Sorry about that," Pike covered up sheepishly. "Those were just such moves, she couldn't help but cry out!"

"Uh, yeah!" Estelle added.

"So please forgive her!" Lilly added.

Mr. Cat looked firm, but he stalked off to the corner to clean himself again.

 _'I still haven't made a proper apology to Senor Mytho,'_ Ahiru thought to herself with a pout. _'I have to apologize.'_


	3. Chapter 3

After class, the girls began to get out of their leotards and ballet shoes as they changed.

"You should be grateful to us." Pike told Ahiru.

"You were really close to marrying Mr. Cat!" Lilly added.

"Thanks." Ahiru replied softly.

"What's wrong, Ahiru? You're acting weird." Pike said.

"Weird." Lilly added cutely.

"You think it's weird to to suddenly show up?" Ahiru pouted.

"Oh... She must be talking about from earlier." Felicity guessed from that.

"Yep." Estelle nodded.

Lilly and Pike looked a bit lost on what was going on with Ahiru.

"Even if it is weird!" Ahiru began.

"Not for you!" Lilly added.

"I just gotta go!" Ahiru continued.

"You gotta go where?" Pike glared.

"I _am_ going!" Ahiru soon finished.

"You can do it, Ahiru!" Estelle beamed.

"See ya later!" Ahiru called out as she rushed out of the room.

"Where are you going?!" Pike called out to her.

"He's so cute~" Lilly smiled dreamily as she had her mind elsewhere.

"Should one of us go with her to make sure she doesn't back out?" Felicity asked.

"Hmm... I feel like I better go..." Estelle suggested. "...If that's okay with you."

"That's fine," Felicity replied. "You have a generous heart like Aunt Rarity."

"Hey, Ahiru, wait up!" Estelle called out as she ran after the running girl as fast as she could.

* * *

Soon enough, she caught up with Ahiru as they stopped in front of the boys dorm.

"Just try to act natural." Estelle advised.

Ahiru froze up a bit before she soon walked, a bit awkwardly towards the doors.

"You can do this." Estelle said.

"We're not supposed to go into the boys' dormitory, but I'm just going to apologize!" Ahiru pouted firmly to herself as she tried to reach for the door.

"Well, you can't apologize unless you get the door." Estelle said as she tried to motivate her new friend.

Ahiru soon did her best to reach out and open the door but sighed as she gave up. "Oh, you stupid, stupid, stupid coward!" she told herself as she began to start hitting her head.

"You're in my way." A voice said to the girls.

Both of the girls jumped a bit from that before they turned to see Fakir was right behind them.

"Oh, um, is Senor Mytho-" Ahiru was about to ask.

"He's not here." Fakir replied as he drifted to the door.

"Yeah, so where-" Estelle started.

"Go home," Fakir replied as he came in through the doors to shut them out. "Both of you."

"Ow!" Ahiru yelped as she was caught in the door. "Is there an injury?"

"It's not serious." Fakir told her.

"Ahiru wanted to apologize to Senor Mytho." Estelle said.

"There's no need." Fakir dismissed.

"Are you like this to everyone you talk to?" Ahiru glared as she got out of the door as Fakir shut it. "Ohh! That guy really ticks me off!"

"He sure does seem like an interesting guy." Estelle said before feeling two familiar strong hands covering her eyes. This made her yelp out.

"Guess who?" The voice chuckled to Estelle from that.

"Lee?" Estelle smiled.

"Surprise." Lee smiled back as he showed himself to her.

"What're you doing here?" Estelle asked curiously. "I didn't know that you would be here too."

"Well, I got accepted into this school; apparently sport skills can be seen as skills of dancing." Lee said.

"I've heard about football players taking ballet lessons sometimes." Estelle replied.

"Yeah," Lee replied. "Even though some of the other boys in school might tease me for this."

"Ah, they don't matter," Estelle rolled her eyes. "Like Tami Sparks."

"True," Lee nodded. "Good thing she isn't here."

"Yuck!" Both of them gagged about Tami before they laughed from that.

"So, this is the boy's dorm?" Lee asked Estelle.

"Yeah, but you better be careful," Estelle advised. "This boy Fakir seems to be quite a handful."

"Yeah, I can already tell by his behavior." Lee said.

"We'll get out of your way." Estelle said.

"I hope I see you again soon." Lee smiled.

"Same here," Estelle smiled back. "Come on, Ahiru."

"You know that boy?" Ahiru asked.

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend from back home." Estelle replied.

"Must feel great to have a boyfriend." Ahiru said as Lee walked inside the boys' dorm.

Estelle smiled before looking a little soft from that as she felt a little bad for Ahiru.

* * *

"This must be it," Lee said as he came into the dorm before he looked around. "Feels a bit mysterious." He soon heard Fakir's voice in one of the rooms.

"I told you to stay in bed."

Lee glanced into a keyhole of the door to see Fakir and Mytho talking with each other.

"Sorry." Mytho said to the other boy.

"Is your foot hurting?" Fakir asked him.

"I don't know." Mytho said.

"What a wretch you are." Fakir seemed to scoff.

Lee seemed to glare a bit from that.

"You're far too slow and utterly useless," Fakir told Mytho. "Aside from helping others, you would do best to forget such others."

Lee soon decided that now was the time to make himself be known.

"Yes." Mytho softly said to Fakir.

"All you need to do is listen to what I tell you." Fakir warned.

"Ahem!" Lee cleared his throat sharply.

Fakir and Mytho both soon looked to see the door was now open and where they saw Lee.

"Excuse me." Lee spoke up.

"You must be the new boy." Fakir said to him casually.

"That's right," Lee nodded. "My name is Lee Clark."

"Welcome to the Golden Crown Academy, Lee Clark," Fakir replied. "My name is Fakir and this is Mytho."

Mytho looked over a bit to see Lee.

"So I see," Lee replied. "Having quite the discussion, I see."

"It's none of your concern." Fakir said firmly.

"You don't have to be mean to your friend though." Lee replied, just as firm.

"It's okay." Mytho told Lee.

"No, it's not okay." Lee replied.

"I'm sorry, but this conversation is private, so please kindly butt out," Fakir sharply told Lee. "Don't make me get rough with you."

"Trust me; I've faced worse dangers, so I can handle anything you throw at me." Lee glared.

"I am a gentleman, so don't make me get violent." Fakir advised.

Lee rolled up his sleeves a bit. "Let's just see about that." he said with a glare.

"Oh, no... Please don't fight..." Mytho said softly.

Fakir looked ready to fight Lee who looked like he would hold back his true strength. Mytho stepped back a bit.

"What makes you so special anyway?!" Lee glared as he fought against Fakir.

"I'm the only family Mytho has." Fakir glared back as he fought Lee.

"You should treat him better." Lee glared back.

"Why don't you just mind your own business before you get hurt?" Fakir scowled.

"Are you his brother or something?" Lee asked.

"You could say that I'm his guardian." Fakir replied.

"Well, what guardian speaks to him the way you were?" Lee asked.

"You wouldn't understand," Fakir glared. "You just better stay out of my way."

Lee glared at Fakir and didn't like him one bit.

"Since you're new here, I'll let you off with a warning," Fakir advised. "You just better watch out for me if you know what's good for you."

"So which room will I be sleeping in?" Lee asked.

"Let me see your form." Fakir said.

Lee took out a paper that was sent to him.

Fakir snatched it to take a bit of a look. "Hmph... Looks like you're with us..." he said a bit sharply.

"Great." Lee groaned to himself quietly.

"We might as well get used to it," Fakir told Lee. "This might take a while."

"I have three younger siblings, I bet I could handle you." Lee retorted.

* * *

It was soon night time. Ahiru, Estelle, and Felicity all seemed to be wide awake.

"It's too bad I didn't get to make my apology," Ahiru sulked. "I suck."

"Ahiru, you don't suck," Felicity said softly. "You just... Came at a bad time."

"That's right." Estelle nodded.

"I hope his injury is okay." Ahiru sighed.

"I'm sure it'll be okay." Estelle tried to soothe her new friend.

"Oui." Felicity nodded.

"Those eyes that always look so lonely..." Ahiru said softly. "There's gotta be some reason for it, right? Not that I can do anything about it. If there was only some way I could help him."

Estelle and Felicity comforted her the best that they could.

"If only I were able to do something." Ahiru sighed as she looked out the window.

Estelle could tell Ahiru had it bad for Mytho.

"She has it bad, no?" Felicity remarked.

Estelle shushed her cousin a bit from that question.

"I'd give my life for that." Ahiru sighed to herself.

Estelle frowned as she was sure that her new friend might get that chance somehow. Felicity shook a chill down her spine as she felt a very weird feeling.

"Huh? What's that?" Ahiru blinked as she thought she saw something out the window.

"What is it, Ahiru?" Estelle asked before looking out the window.

"I thought... I saw someone out there..." Ahiru said softly.

"We better go and see if he or she is still out there then." Estelle replied.

"This late?" Felicity asked. "It's a bit late for us to be out though."

"We'll be right back though," Estelle replied. "It might be a good idea."

"Well... All right..." Felicity said to her. "Just be quiet so we don't get into trouble."

"We will." Estelle nodded.

"All right... Let's go then." Felicity suggested.

* * *

The girls wandered outside as they made it by the fountain before they looked around as they seemed to be alone.

"He's not here." Ahiru pouted.

 **"Yes, I am~"** A voice smirked.

"Did anyone else hear that?" Estelle asked.

"I did..." Felicity said, a bit shakily.

"I wonder who it was?" Ahiru pondered.

 **"You haven't forgotten about me already, have you?"** The voice teased her.

"Whoever is trying to creep us out, you're doing a good job." Estelle said.

"It feels strange out here..." Ahiru added.

 **"Do you want to know?"** The voice chuckled. **"Well, honestly, do you now? Little Duck and some new friends?"**

"Okay, seriously, who is talking?" Estelle asked as she looked around.

 **"The water has begun to flow... The time has begun to pass... Now tell me a story..."** The voice mocked.

"Who are you?!" Estelle and Felicity both demanded while Ahiru felt bewildered.

* * *

 ** _The next morning..._**

Lee yawned as he woke up in his new bed, stretching a bit as Fakir was getting dressed to leave the room.

"I'm going," Fakir told them. "On my way back, I'll borrow some books for Mytho at the Library."

"Well... Alright then." Lee shrugged from that as that didn't sound so bad.

"Don't read any except for the ones I bring." Fakir told Mytho.

"Okay. Thank you." Mytho replied from his bed.

"Don't give me cause to worry," Fakir said to Mytho before going into his usual expression. "You idiot.

Lee narrowed his eyes a bit from that as he looked softly over to Mytho as he felt it was wrong and unfair with how Fakir treated him.

"Don't worry about me, new friend," Mytho said to Lee. "He's just looking out for me."

"He sure has a unique way of showing it." Lee said.

There was a buzz outside the window which was a metaphorical buzz as it was the students who were all dressed and heading to class.

"Okay!" Ahiru said as she hid in the hedges with her friends.

"So what's the plan now?" Pike asked Ahiru.

"You're going to do something, right?" Lilly added.

"Yes, she is." Estelle nodded.

"Ohh... She's sneaking in to see Senor Mytho." Pike smirked a bit.

"My~" Lilly sighed dreamily.

"And if things work out, strike up a friendship." Pike kept her smirk as Ahiru gasped from that.

"You never know, Ahiru." Estelle smiled.

"WAS I RIGHT?!" Pike gushed.

"I haven't thought that far." Ahiru whispered nervously.

"No, that's the spirit, you have to go!" Lilly smiled.

"You can't give up on what you believe, Ahiru." Felicity advised.

"That's right." Estelle nodded.

"Somehow, we'll find a way to cover for you being late!" Pike proclaimed.

"Uh, okay." Ahiru replied.

"Okay, bye!" Lilly and Pike smiled innocently as they skipped off to class.

Estelle and Felicity sweat-dropped as they just left Ahiru like that.

"Well, that just happened." Estelle said.

"Some friends..." Felicity muttered from that.

"I wonder how it'll work out?" Pike smiled.

"Oh, it'll be fine." Lilly smiled back.

"You think?" Pike asked.

"Because even if she fails, I'll be there to comfort her." Lilly smiled.

"I have to do it for real this time," Ahiru said with determination before she saw something. "Huh?"

"I feel an animal might be in trouble." Felicity spoke up.

* * *

They soon saw two birds ready to fly.

"You're right, Felicity." Estelle said to her cousin.

"Canary Mama's children leave the nest today!" Ahiru realized with a small smile.

"Looks like one of them's ready to take off." Estelle smiled.

One chick clung to the roof before he dove off of the roof to get ready to fly away from home. Another chick was about to go with the other, but it seemed to be too scared to fly off.

"Ah!" Ahiru let out a startled yelp from that.

"It's too scared." Estelle frowned.

"Oh, I know how you feel, little birdy," Felicity said softly to herself. "I get so scared easily too."

Ahiru began to feel the most worried for the baby bird. They soon saw Mytho opening the window of his and Lee's room.

"Huh?" Ahiru blinked from that.

Mytho looked out to see the baby bird as he stepped out onto the window ledge with the wind blowing over him.

"Oh! Be careful!" Ahiru yelped as it looked like he could possibly fall.

"What is he thinking?" Estelle asked.

Mytho smiled as he quietly watched the baby birds. A predator bird soon swooped out towards the baby birds which made Ahiru scream out of fear. The black bird tried to get the baby chick still on the roof, but it missed which made the baby bird fall off the roof.

"NOOO!" Felicity, Estelle, and Ahiru cried out for the poor baby bird.

However, Mytho quickly caught it from where he stood, but this also made him slip out of the window ledge.

"Oh, my..." Estelle gasped.

"That was so brave." Felicity said with a bit of shock.

"Oh, no!" Ahiru cried out as she went to go after Mytho and the baby bird.

 **"Oh, no, the prince is going to die?"** The mysterious voice smirked.

"You again?" Estelle glared at the mysterious, disembodied voice.

"The prince?!" Ahiru gasped.

 **"Poor Mytho is going to meet his death."** The mysterious voice continued.

"Death?!" Ahiru yelped.

"No way." Estelle shook her head.

 **"What's going to happen in this story,"** The mysterious voice smirked. **"Please, you have to tell me what happens next... Will the prince make it? Who's going to save him?"**

"Who?!" Ahiru yelped.

 **"Yes, I wonder who."** The mysterious voice chuckled.

"I-I'll..." Ahiru started as her pendant shined.

 **"Do you care for him, little duck?"** The mysterious voice asked.

"What?" Ahiru gasped.

 **"Do you care to help the poor little prince?"** The mysterious voice smirked then. **"Are you saying you're going to tell me the story?"**

"You're a creep is what you are." Estelle mumbled to the voice.

Ahiru seemed to quack in reply to the mysterious voice.

 **"You will?"** The mysterious voice replied.

"That's right!" Ahiru remarked. "I will save the prince!"

"And we will help you!" Estelle and Felicity promised their new friend.

 **"Now, do you remember who you are?"** The mysterious voice asked Ahiru.

"Yes, I do; I am Princess Tutu!" Ahiru replied as her pendant glowed brightly.

"It's like Sailor Moon's transformation." Estelle whispered to herself in surprise.

Ahiru began to transform in a magical way as she turned into a magical girl ballerina like from Estelle's book all about Princess Tutu until she came to this school. "Flower Waltz!" The girl called out as she rushed over to help save Mytho from his fall. And as she danced, lots of flowers began to spread out.

"Your mother would love that." Felicity said to Estelle.

"Yeah," Estelle agreed to that. "Aunt Gloriosa too."

Flowers flooded out onto the grounds as Ahiru did a twirl as Princess Tutu. Luckily, this also cushioned Mytho's fall as he landed in the flowers.

"Whew." Estelle smiled.

Ahiru tiptoed over as she carried Mytho out of the flowers by his hand. The two seemed to smile at each other as Mytho took out the baby chick that was safe in the palm of his hand.

"That was tres amazing~" Felicity beamed.

"And to think I was able to save you, Mytho; it's like a dream." Ahiru smiled.

"How do... You know my name...?" Mytho asked with surprise. "And you, who are you?"

"I am... I am... Uh..." Ahiru tried to tell him.

"Come on, Ahiru," Felicity hoped. "You can tell him."

 **"Who indeed?"** The mysterious voice smirked. **"You remember now, little duck? Yes, you are a duck. Just a little bird called a 'Duck'."**

"Quack!" Ahiru yelped before she cupped her mouth from that.

Mytho took a look at her with curiosity. Ahiru soon backed up fearfully and she soon ran away from him as the mysterious voice was right about her.

"Her name is Princess Tutu," Estelle told Mytho before going after Ahiru. "Please excuse me."

Mytho watched the girls go. Felicity waved sheepishly and shyly, though she walked off as she let Estelle take care of Ahiru.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ahiru? Ahiru!" Estelle called out as she came after her new friend and as she went after Ahiru, she soon saw her change from Princess Tutu to herself to a yellow duck. "Oh..." she frowned a bit worriedly.

"So I was a duck..." Ahiru's voice pouted in dismay.

"Oh, Ahiru..." Estelle frowned.

"Well, well, Princess Tutu has gone back to being a duck!" The mysterious voice taunted. "The story has just begun! What to do now?" he then chuckled a bit as Ahiru sat in the ground like that.

"I'll help her somehow," Estelle glared. "You'll see!"

"Oh, but do you even know how she became Princess Tutu?" The mysterious voice smirked.

"I happen to know a lot, you creep," Estelle glared. "Leave my friend alone."

The voice chuckled. "You're as ambitious as she is, I see~"

"Who are you?!" Estelle glared.

"Shows what you know..." The voice teased her. "You're not going to help out Princess Tutu. She's just a little duck... And maybe you are too."

"Oh, please, I've been a Wiccan/mermaid hybrid my whole life; there's no way _I'm_ a duck," Estelle said. "But I will help Duck, now whoever you are, you better come out and show yourself and explain everything."

The voice laughed at her.

"Very well," Estelle firmly pouted as she crossed her arms with a stare in her ocean blue eyes. "I'll wait."

"You are very persistent, aren't you?" The voice asked.

"I try my best," Estelle glared. "Who are you? Tell me right now!"

"Very well... I'll tell you my name..." The voice replied. "You may call me 'Drossel'."

"Interesting name." Estelle said.

"And you would be?" The voice asked. "Have we met?"

"My name is Estelle Elizabeth Fudo," The girl replied bravely. "Also, like I said, I'm a mermaid-Wiccan hybrid."

"You're also the bearer of the special pink shoes, I see." The voice said as she looked down at the shoes she was given from when she first met Barbie and Kelly.

"Yes, I am." Estelle nodded as she got Ahiru to a lake.

"And you have a very generous heart," Drossel said. "Pretty obvious for the case for you to bear that Element."

"You know a lot, huh?" Estelle asked.

"I know my fair share of knowledge," Drossel replied. "I might know more than you probably do about yourself."

"I doubt that," Estelle said. "But humor me."

Drossel chuckled. "Until next time~"

"Ugh!" Estelle rolled her eyes as she helped out Ahiru to the pond. "Oh, Ahiru, I'm so sorry..." She cooed softly to her new friend who was now a mere duckling. She soon saw her friend waking up. "You okay, Ahiru...?" she asked softly.

"Where am I? Am I dreaming?" Ahiru asked before she looked to see her new friend. "Estelle? You look bigger."

"Uh, Ahiru," Estelle smiled nervously. "You kinda turned into a duck."

"Whaaaat?!" Ahiru yelped from that. "No way! No way! No way! No way! No way!"

"Ahiru, wait!" Estelle cried out.

Ahiru rushed through the grass to see if it was true as she saw her wings in front of her face. "I thought I was a girl... But I was a duck..." she then pouted sadly.

"Oh, Ahiru..." Estelle frowned softly.

"When I saved Senor Mytho, was that a dream?" Ahiru frowned before freaking out. "Could this be a dream right now?!"

The voice soon came back with a chuckle.

"Drossel!" Estelle realized.

"If you must know, neither is a dream, little Duck~" Drossel's voice smirked before a very scary face appeared in the pond.

Ahiru soon freaked out after seeing Drossel's scary face in the lake and began to run off.

"I don't blame you for that reaction!" Estelle said as she came to go after Ahiru.

The face all appeared around as the girls now felt like Princess Snow White when she got lost in the forest.

"Waaah! Who are you?!" Ahiru yelped fearfully.

"You may address me as Drosselmeyer~" Drossel smirked. "Do you wish to save the prince who's lost his heart?"

"The prince?" Estelle asked out of confusion.

"The person I want to save is Senor Mytho." Ahiru added softly.

"The prince was a hero who fought against demons and ravens," Drossel smirked to the girls. "At least when he was inside the story~"

"Inside the story?" Ahiru asked.

"Yes... He came out of the story I wrote and ended up losing his heart to you to lose the raven," Drossel smirked as he wrote with his quill. "His sacrificed heart shattered into many pieces, scattered and lost. The only one who can return him to normal is Princess Tutu."

"Um... The Princess... Tutu?" Ahiru replied curiously.

"If you're prepared, I'll turn you back into a girl once more~" Drossel offered.

"What do you say, Ahiru?" Estelle smiled.

"A girl?" Ahiru asked. "I'll really get to see Senor Mytho again?"

"Seems more likely as a human girl than a duckling." Estelle advised.

"If you say so, that is..." Drossel smirked.

"I do! I do!" Ahiru cried out before she blushed. "If I could be a girl again, I'd stay by Mytho's side. Maybe... Maybe someday I'd be able to bring a smile back on his face and if that's the one thing I can do, then there's nothing more I could wish for."

"You heard her." Estelle smiled at Drossel.

"Congratulations!" Drossel remarked. "Dream and your wishes shall be granted~... That's the great thing about stories... The girl will become a duck and the girl will become Princess Tutu..."

Ahiru was soon given her pendant and she transformed back into a human girl.

"Now remember this: if you say or do anything resembling a duck..." Drossel reminded.

Ahiru suddenly quacked in surprise which made her into a duckling again.

"Just remember that~" Drossel told the girls. "It might be for you too, Estelle Fudo."

"What do you mean? I haven't turned into a duck since I was in those Swan Lake adventures." Estelle said.

"Maybe as Ahiru's helper, you'll be a duck too~" Drossel chuckled.

Estelle gasped as she was suddenly a duckling too like her time with Odette. "What?! You can't do this to me!" she then cried out.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but that's how you're going to be in this story." Drossel chuckled.

Estelle growled a bit from that, but what could she do as a lone duckling herself?

Eventually, Ahiru slowly came to as she heard some ringing sounds in the background. "Huh...? What...? This is Kinkan Town..." she then said before she saw her wing which made her freak out. "I'm... Quack! ...A duck?! Quack! Qua-Qua-Quack! Qua-Qua-Qua-Quack! Quack!" she then ran all around in a circle before she came to see her reflection in the lake as she felt sad again. "I am a duck..."

"You're not alone though, Ahiru," Estelle said from behind. "You still have me."

"Oh, that's right," Ahiru smiled before she turned around to see Estelle as a duckling as well. "You're a duck too!"

"Yes, I suppose I am," Estelle sighed a bit. "I'll help you out though."

"Were you... Were you always a duck?" Ahiru asked with a bit of a scared whisper.

"Well... No..." Estelle replied. "This isn't my first time as a duck though."

"It isn't?" Ahiru asked.

"No, I'm afraid it's not," Estelle replied. "It's... It's a bit of a long story."

"So you just turn into a duck just like that?" Ahiru asked.

"Well... When I was with some old friends, I became a duck and this girl I met became a swan..." Estelle said as she began to tell her story of when she had a Swan Lake misadventure from when she was a little younger.

"Whoa." Ahiru said.

"Yeah..." Estelle said. "I guess this is just a sign that I should help you overcome your pressure or anxiety around Senor Mytho and being a duck."

"Guess so," Ahiru said before feeling Estelle leading her to the lake. "What are we doing?"

"It's time to be a girl again." Estelle replied.

* * *

As they got in the water, they became human girls again before they both yelped as they were naked, though that seemed to mostly be Estelle's problem as she felt very embarrassed suddenly.

 **"If you say or do anything resembling a duck..."** Drossel's voice reminded Ahiru.

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Estelle blushed out of embarrassment as she swam to where her clothes were.

"This is... It... Wasn't a dream..." Ahiru realized as she held her pendant.

"Nope." Estelle replied as she came out of the water.

Someone soon came to the lake with a music box as she seemed to crank it with her hand.

"Crud." Estelle said as she got back in the water to hide the rest of her body.

"May those who accept their fate be given happiness," The woman spoke to the girls as she arrived mysteriously. "May those who defy it, be given glory."

"Who is that?" The girls wondered.

"I am Edel, one of you is Ahiru." The woman informed.

"Yeah, that would be her," Estelle said as she pointed to her new friend while keeping her body underwater. "Wait, you know Ahiru?"

"You know me?" Ahiru added.

"Even as a girl, you still have duck-like qualities about you, don't you?" Edel asked Ahiru.

"What?" Ahiru asked from that.

"The way you look." Edel started.

"Um, Ahiru, look down." Estelle said.

Ahiru looked down before yelping at what she saw.

"Think of it as having all of your feathers plucked out." Edel told the girl.

Ahiru screamed out before she ducked down in the water to hide the lower half of her body as she turned bright red out of embarrassment.

"Um, Miss Edel, could you bring us our clothes?" Estelle blushed out of embarrassment.

"Ah, yes," Edel replied as she brought out the clothes. "For you."

"Thank you so much." Estelle said as she took the clothes with Ahiru.

* * *

Once they got dressed, they began to make their way out of the forest and to the school. Edel followed after them with her music.

"Something is still confusing me." Ahiru said.

"What is it?" Estelle asked.

"So... If I am a duck, as in the bird, since when was the girl me the me as I am?" Ahiru asked. "Or rather, to yesterday's me... To the me before that... Are all really me... Wait... Now I'm _really_ lost!"

"Even I'm confused by this." Estelle said.

"A story's birth is a sudden event," Edel advised. "To start a happy accident."

"Huh?" Ahiru blinked from that.

"The fate for which it's met," Edel continued from there. "A story that never ends is a cruel fate."

"Now you're confusing us." Estelle said.

"Let us meet again." Edel suggested.

Ahiru smiled happily and hopefully from that. "Yes!"

"We would like that." Estelle smiled.

They soon rushed to the school grounds as they looked a bit happier than they were before as Ahiru sang a bit to herself as they ran together while other students were out as well as they were. Estelle and Ahiru soon noticed Mytho close by while reading his book.

"Senor Mytho!" Ahiru gasped as she hid away with Estelle.

"You saved him by becoming Princess Tutu." Estelle reminded with a smile.

"I wonder if he remembers?" Ahiru said before frowning. "Even if he did, he wouldn't know it was me."

"You don't know unless you try." Estelle suggested.

"Oh! What if he remembers me as an actual duck?!" Ahiru complained. "Ahiru, you're the worst! No wonder you talk like a duck! Shoo! Shoo!"

"Ahiru, relax!" Estelle cried out.

"Or man, you stink like a bird!" Ahiru continued before bringing out a fork and knife. "Or my favorite, let's dig in!"

"Where did you even get that fork and knife from?" Estelle asked.

"Uh... I have no idea, but I'll keep this secret..." Ahiru said bashfully as she sat back a little.

"Whatever floats your fins, I guess." Estelle shrugged.

"Mytho... That thing about the prince who lost his heart..." Ahiru whispered as she looked at the boy she really liked. "Oh! I haven't made an apology for him yet! I must go!"

"So don't get cold feet!" Estelle advised.

Mytho soon looked up and to where Ahiru and Estelle were.

"Now's your chance." Estelle told Ahiru.

Ahiru felt alerted before she dashed off to go see Mytho once she had his attention. "Well, you see..." she said softly before blaring out. "I'M SO SORRY!"

"What?" Mytho asked.

"Well, uh, is your leg still hurting you?" Ahiru asked the boy.

"Not really." Mytho replied.

"So it's all better now?" Ahiru smiled hopefully. "Thank goodness!"

"Whew." Estelle smiled.

Mytho simply looked at Ahiru which began to make her feel a bit more antsy.

"Oh... Ahiru... Say something..." Estelle begged nervously.

"So is that a book you're reading?" Ahiru asked Mytho.

After hearing that question Estelle, face-palmed for her friend.

"How's it going?" Felicity asked as she walked by with a bashful smile.

"A bit awkwardly." Estelle told her cousin.

"You like books then?" Ahiru asked as she punished herself mentally for the stupid topic she talked about. "So, is the book interesting?"

"I don't know," Mytho spoke which made her jolt slightly as he looked into her sapphire eyes. "I don't know if I find books particularly interesting or not."

'That's right, since he lost his heart; Mytho doesn't know anything about feelings.' Estelle thought to herself.

Felicity gave a small frown, feeling concern for Ahiru.

'There they are again, those lonely eyes.' Ahiru thought to herself as she grasped her pendant.

"Hello there, Senor Mytho~" A voice greeted.

"Hello, Rue." Ahiru smiled before she, Estelle, and Felicity were surprised to see it wasn't Rue, but an anthropomorphic anteater.

Ahiru cupped her mouth as she almost quacked from that surprise.

"An anteater?" Estelle and Felicity asked each other in surprise.

"May I take a seat next to you?" The anteater asked Mytho.

"Sure." Mytho said with a small nod of the head.

"What exactly are your thoughts on Miss Rue?" The anteater asked him as she sat next to him.

"I don't know." Mytho said.

"You do love her, don't you?" The anteater asked him.

"Not really." Mytho replied.

'Oh, she had better not say what she's going to say.' Estelle thought to herself.

"Then might I ask you to be with me instead, would you be subversed to that?" The anteater then asked.

Felicity tried to keep Estelle from losing her cool.

"Not really." Mytho said to the anteater.

Estelle began to look like she was about to chew the anteater out.

"No way!" Ahiru squeaked a bit.

The anteater came closer to Mytho and licked his face a bit.

"I'm not allowed to watch R-Rated movies!" Felicity yelped as she turned away from that while covering her eyes.

"Let's quickly go before we see anything else." Estelle said.

"Come here," Felicity told her. "We'll help out Ahiru later, okay? I saw an interesting vision earlier in the mirror."

"Ooh." Estelle said.

Felicity walked off a bit with Estelle.

"So, what did you see?" Estelle asked.

"I could've sworn it was Chip..." Felicity said. "He was calling out to me."

"Really?" Estelle asked.

"I swear that I saw him," Felicity replied. "I'm not sure how that would be possible though. Chip's a mortal."

"Well, I'm sure there's an explanation." Estelle said before she saw Rue coming around the corner.

"Hmm..." Felicity paused thoughtfully.

"Hello." Rue said to them.

"Rue..." Estelle and Felicity glanced over.

"Excuse me, I must go." Rue told them as she came towards Ahiru's direction.

This caused Estelle, Felicity, and Ahiru to panic as that was the same way where Mytho and the anteater student were.

"Quack!" Ahiru yelped.

"Ahiru, no!" Estelle cried out.

Felicity gasped a bit as Ahiru and Estelle both became ducklings which meant that someone would see them this way as Rue walked down the block.

"You can't come this way!" Ahiru tried to tell Rue, but the girl would just hear quacking.

"Stop, don't come this way; go that way!" Estelle quacked.

Rue smiled out of amusement as she walked away from the two ducklings.

"Estelle... Did you just turn into a 'Canard'?" Felicity asked her cousin.

"It's a long story." Estelle sighed from that.

* * *

Ahiru soon began to start panicking because Rue couldn't understand her or Estelle as she was making her way to where Mytho and the anthropomorphic anteater were. Felicity cupped her mouth as she looked very worried for the both of them.

"I can't do this as a duck!" Ahiru panicked. "How do I go back into being a girl?!"

"Don't tell me I have to kiss you guys." Felicity winced as she thought more about the story of The Frog Prince.

"No, we need water!" Estelle told her as she grabbed Ahiru's right wing with hers and began to run for the fountain.

Ahiru quacked a bit before she calmed down as they both hit the water.

"Phew..." Felicity sighed. "I hope that worked."

Luckily for them, the girls changed back into humans.

"We did it, Rue!" Ahiru cheered as she ran out of the fountain.

"Wait! Ahiru, we can't go out like this!" Estelle reminded her of what happened when they changed back into humans.

"Oh, no, you're right!" Ahiru panicked. "Oh, what do we do?!"

"Oh! I know! That way!" Estelle yelped.

The two rushed over to one door and came back out with their uniforms to dress into quickly.

"She's almost there." Felicity warned the two as Rue was getting closer and closer towards Mytho.

Ahiru and Estelle soon rushed and stopped in front of Rue.

"Hey, um... Um!" Ahiru started.

"Look over there!" Estelle and Ahiru told Rue as they pointed to the right.

"Please allow us to come through." A girl's voice said.

The others looked over to see the anthro anteater carrying Mytho in her arms.

"Please allow me the pleasure of informing you that Senor Mytho is going to accompany me now." The anteater told the other girls.

"What?" Rue asked.

"It seems quite clear who the winner is now," The anteater told her as she carried Mytho away with her. "Excuse us."

"...Did I hit my head or something?" Felicity mumbled about the anteater who wore her own uniform.

"No, no, don't listen to her! I'm pretty sure that wasn't for real!" Ahiru waved her arms at Rue.

"It doesn't bother me," Rue replied much to Ahiru's confusion. "Thank you though. You're so sweet."

Ahiru simply blushed a little from what Rue said.


	5. Chapter 5

Some time passed as Ahiru told her other friends what had happened which made them freak out about Mytho going off with an anteater of all people which was quite a big shock to them all. And where they all seemed to know what her name was.

"Who is she?" Estelle asked.

"They call her Arikui," Felicity replied. "I guess she's Miss Popular around here now since she got close with Senor Mytho."

"Guess so," Estelle said. "No doubt Fakir and Lee are going to have a talk with him."

"That's all I know though." Felicity said.

"Thank you, Felicity," Estelle smiled. "That's greatly appreciated."

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile with Lee, Fakir, and Mytho..._**

"What? You left Rue? You're terrible." Fakir remarked to Mytho.

"Really?" Mytho asked.

"Because you don't understand how people feel," Fakir explained. "It's why you do stuff like that without a thought."

"Mytho, didn't you think how this would affect Rue?" Lee asked.

"I... I don't know..." Mytho said softly.

"Idiot." Fakir scoffed.

* * *

Soon enough, they were all now in class.

"With ballet, take one day off and you will know... Take three days off and your peers will know... Take a week off and the audience will know!" Mr. Cat began to rant as he walked by his students who stood there before him. "As this demonstrates that daily practice and so important. And so, once a month from now on, we will have a test that will assign you to a class."

Felicity let out a small gulp from that.

"In the worst case, you will be dropped to the probation class." Mr. Cat then added a bit sharply.

This caused everyone in the class to groan after hearing that was the worse case.

"That or I'll have you marry me." Mr. Cat glared as he began to sweat profusely.

"No way!" Ahiru cried out.

Pike and Lilly quickly covered Ahiru's mouth as they shook nervously from that.

"No... No way...?!" Mr. Cat yelped before he began to scratch himself from that like a regular cat.

"Mr. Cat?" Arikui spoke up bravely.

"W-What, Miss Arikui?" Mr. Cat asked as he stood on all fours with his back raised up and his fur standing up.

"This special class is strictly kept to five?" Arikui asked.

"Yes, so?" Mr. Cat asked as he still shook.

"Then I suppose someone will have to be dropped to make room for me." Arikui stated. As she stated that, she stared at Rue as she was referring of who would be dropped.

"A declaration of war!" Pike called out.

"Not just for her lover, but for her status too~" Lilly cooed.

The two leaned against each other with Ahiru in the middle as they both cheered with different tones, "How exciting!"

"To prove my worthiness, I shall dance a Pas de Deux with my partner," Arikui announced. "Mytho come!"

The girls in front of Mytho yelped a bit as he stepped out upon the anteater's call.

"Wow! Even more exciting turn of events!" Pike and Lilly cheered while Ahiru looked distressed.

"This can't be!" Ahiru gasped.

Music soon began to play for Mytho and Arikui.

"Keep calm, Ahiru... Please..." Felicity quietly begged to herself.

Aikui and Mytho are soon seen dancing together and where her dancing was really good.

"Guess it wasn't all talk, huh?" Pike smirked as she and the other girls sat to watch the dance together.

"A woman's fight~" Lilly sighed dreamily.

Mytho and Aikui continued to dance Estelle and Ahiru could tell there was no joy in Arikui's dancing.

"She's definitely good, but somehow, there's no joy in it." Ahiru whispered to Estelle.

"Oh, no doubt." Estelle whispered back.

Everyone continued to watch Arikui and Mytho dance. Mytho spun around very quickly like a spinning top until he was tossed in the air for the big finish. Felicity covered her eyes a bit as she felt unsure about this. Mytho soon came back down before Arikui caught him with ease while the other girls looked very impressed.

"Miss Rue, I'd very much like to see your Pas De Deux," Aikui smirked at Rue before pulling Mytho close to her. "But whether or not there's an actual partner for you."

Estelle looked like she was on the verge to volunteer to be Rue's dance partner.

"Don't freak out or get angry." Felicity told Estelle.

"I have to do something, Felicity." Estelle replied assertively.

Everyone else soon looked to see what Rue's answer would be for Arikui.

"That was mean." Ahiru said.

"Rue is in a pinch." Pike said.

"A pinch." Lillie smiled.

They soon saw Rue standing up before seeing her look at Estelle.

"Um, hello, Rue." Estelle said bashfully.

"Will you dance with me?" Rue asked Estelle.

"Oh, uh, m-me?" Estelle replied.

"That's right." Rue smiled a bit.

"Estelle's in a pinch!" Pike and Lillie said in different tones of voices.

The class began to murmur about why Rue chose Estelle as her partner.

"Rue, I promise you; I won't let you down." Estelle told her dance partner.

"Don't worry; just follow my directions," Rue said to her. "Plus you seem like you've been dancing your whole life."

"I have." Estelle nodded.

"Well, I'm sure you can follow my lead to dance right now, yes?" Rue then said.

"I sure can." Estelle nodded.

"Let us begin," Rue said. "Just don't be nervous."

"I don't get nervous." Estelle replied as she did some warm-ups for herself.

"I bet she messes up." Pike told Lillie.

"Yeah." Lillie replied with a smile.

"A storm's brewing." Pike replied back.

"Yeah." Lillie replied back with a smile.

* * *

Ahiru and Felicity kept a close eye on Estelle, though they didn't have much to worry about as she was born to dance. Estelle followed Rue's lead as they both danced with grace as she thought about what she was told from Barbie as a little girl. Lee smiled as he loved to watch Estelle dance to her heart's desire. And where during the dancing, Rue didn't seem to give Estelle any directions.

Estelle soon jumped on her own as Rue lifted her up in the air. The rest of the class looked surprised and impressed so far. Rue and Estelle did all of the moves together with ease like it was a practiced routine before they danced together right away. And they soon ended as Estelle twirled in place before stopping as Rue held her left leg and right arm in place. The other girls gasped from that while Felicity lightly applauded to herself to show her support. Fakir and Mytho soon joined her as the rest of the class eventually also clapped for Estelle and Rue.

"You were wonderful." Rue smiled at Estelle.

"Thank you." Estelle smiled back.

"That was really good." Ahiru said to herself.

"She was a lot better than Ahiru!" Pike smiled tearfully.

"You're right!" Lillie added. "She was like a swan princess!"

Arikui was even in tears, unfortunately, her tears were out of sadness. Estelle looked over with a bit of a small pout.

* * *

A loud smack was heard as Arikui was soon outside with Mytho and scolding him.

"Why must people hurt Mytho?" Lee glared firmly.

"I don't know." Estelle said as they stood together.

"You think nothing of what, I, your girlfriend just went through?!" Arikui glared at Mytho.

"Not really." Mytho said.

"Did you not do your best on purpose?!" Arikui glared.

Lee tried to hold back Estelle, whose eyes glowed bright like whenever Lexi Bunny would shoot out a Brain Blast.

"Just so you are aware, had you not been Rue's boyfriend, I would not have asked you out in the first place!" Airkui glared at Mytho. "Goodbye!"

"Um..." Ahiru paused as she was soon shown.

"Have you come to laugh at me too?!" Arikui glared at Ahiru as she walked past her.

"No, I wouldn't..." Ahiru promised, but grabbed onto the anteater's sleeve to talk to her. "Wait!"

"Leave me alone!" Arikui cried out as she kept walking off from that as Ahiru's pendent started to glow.

"What the-?" Estelle asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"What's going on?" Ahiru asked before she ran after the anteater. "Arikui, wait!" she then called out to her.

"It's not fair! Not fair! No fair!" Arikui cried out as she punched some rocks out of frustration. After she was done punching the rocks, someone who looked just like Mytho appeared before her.

"Go on... It's all right to cry..." Mytho said to the hurt girl.

"Senor Mytho?" Ahiru gasped.

"It is unfair..." Mytho replied.

"It's so unfair, it hurts!" Arikui cried. "Please stay with me."

"Wait, that's not Mytho." Estelle whispered.

"That must be an illusion." Lee whispered back.

"Yeah." Estelle nodded from that.

"I need your poor, broken heart." Mytho told Arikui mysteriously.

"No, wait, that's-" Estelle started.

A bell began to toll as Drossel's voice chuckled which startled Estelle and Ahiru.

'Estelle?" Lee asked, concerned for his girlfriend.

 **"Looks like you two have found one of the shards in the prince's heart~,"** Drossel told the girls. **"That shall solve the mystery for me, Princess Tutu~"**

Estelle and Ahiru both soon changed into Princess Tutu.

"I love you!" Arikui told Mytho before she saw the two girls. "Have you come to laugh at me as well?"

"No, Anteater," Ahiru replied calmly. "The one next to you is not your partner."

"Don't be absurd!" Arikui glared.

"Please come dance with us, Arikui." Estelle smiled softly.

"I refuse!" Arikui cried out. "You couldn't possibly understand how I feel!"

"Did she just magic into new clothes?" Lee asked himself.

Arikui soon transformed before she began to dance a bit. And where as she danced, the area around them began to change.

"That seems familiar..." Estelle softly said to herself from the scene change.

"GO AWAY!" Arikui yelled out.

"We just wanna help you!" Estelle cried out to the anteater.

"Is that your way of dancing?!" Ahiru added.

"Yes! To make the audience surrender!" Arikui replied. "That is the way to do it!"

"That isn't how you really feel!" Estelle called out as she rushed over with Ahiru.

"Oh, no! I believe it from the bottom of my heart!" Arikui retorted as she kept spinning at near rapid speed.

Estelle and Ahiru were soon hit by the sand wave from Arikui's rapid spinning.

"This is my way of dancing!" Arikui told them as she continued to spin at near rapid speed.

"Then why? Why do you seem in such pain?" Ahiru asked her out of concern.

"There's no joy in your dancing; none at all, what are you so bitter about?" Estelle added.

Arikui kept spinning in silence for a while until she spoke again. "That..."

Estelle looked curious of what she meant by that before she saw that the anteater thought about Rue's dancing skills over her own before her vision power soon showed her what happened.

* * *

 _Rue's marvelous dancing was shown while Arikui looked amazed and wowed from the performance so far._

 _"How wonderful!" Arikui beamed from the dancing._

 _Arikui and Rue were soon shown facing each other._

 _"Please tell me what must I do to dance so wonderfully?" Arikui asked her._

 _"I don't know," Rue replied. "Practice?"_

 _"I'll work hard!" Arikui cried out. "I'll work hard until I dance as good as you, Miss Rue!"_

 _"You can't," Rue said softly. "It's not possible."_

 _Arikui soon looked hurt as that seemed to tell that she would never be like Rue. The anteater soon walked off until Arikui walked off as she was met with Mytho's image._

* * *

"I want to beat Miss Rue!" Arikui told Estelle and Ahiru as she twirled about. "By any means necessary!"

"Those feelings, those feelings are not truly yours, Arikui." Estelle told her as she and Ahiru twirled closer to her.

Arikui seemed to slowly stop as the forest returned to its true form again.

"Forget your bitterness and hatred; we want to see how you really dance," Ahiru smiled as she held out her hand to the anteater. "It will be much more beautiful."

"Yes, let us dance together." Estelle added from that.

Arikui looked at both of them before closing her eyes. They soon joined hands so that they could dance together.

"To your heart's content!" Estelle beamed.

"Be honest! Be free! Yes, this is truly your way of dancing~" Ahiru added.

"I feel such joy!" Aikui beamed back.

The girls all smiled together as Arikui backed up a bit before Mytho's image seemed to appear from thin air.

"You must be..." Ahiru said to the image.

"I'm the feeling of disappointment," The Mytho image told her. "Shattered and forgotten."

"Then this is the place which you don't belong." Estelle smiled.

"Must I wander again?" Mytho asked.

"You have to go back." Ahiru smiled.

"Can I go back?" Mytho asked.

Estelle and Ahiru smiled and nodded to that.

"I'm so glad." Mytho smiled before his image changed into a heart shard.

Estelle let out a small gasp, though it was a little happy for the Mytho image's sake. Someone stepped behind the girls which made them turn around to see that it was the actual Mytho. Ahiru smiled as she held out her hands with the heart shard before it floated upon the sight of Mytho. And once the heart shard made it to Mytho, he soon started to feel one of the feeling's he lost from his heart as he held his chest. Mytho grunted slightly before he hugged his chest as that seemed to brighten him up.

"I really and truly have become Princess Tutu." Ahiru smiled to herself.

"Mytho!" Lee and Fakir called out.

Ahiru and Estelle gasped a bit as they took that time to run away. Just as they left, the forest landscape came back as Mytho appeared to be all alone.

"Mytho!" Fakir called before he rushed over to catch the boy just as he fell backwards. "What's wrong, Mytho?"

"What is this feeling?" Mytho muttered to himself. "I don't understand..."

"A feeling?" Fakir asked before noticing Mytho's hands were holding his chest.

"This got interesting," Lee said. "Do you feel hurt, Mytho?"

"Not so much, honestly." Mytho replied softly.

"Well, that's good." Lee said.

"We better get him inside." Fakir suggested.

"Alright." Lee said.

And so they did just that.

* * *

 ** _Later, it was time for class..._**

"And now, the special class will be the same five people as before." Mr. Cat told his class.

Everybody else applauded from that while the girls looked proud of themselves for that announcement.

"And Miss Arikui?" Mr. Cat then called.

"Yes, sir?" The anteater replied.

"Your performance was good, but the decision is to wait and see this time around." Mr. Cat then told her.

"Yes, understood; I have decided to stop copying Miss Rue and find my own way of dancing." Arikui said.

Estelle nodded to that as it was a pretty good idea.

"I look forward to seeing it," Mr. Cat smiled in approval. "And as for Miss Estelle?"

"Yes?" Estelle smiled politely.

"Your performance was also good and very remarkable." Mr. Cat then said.

"Thank you." Estelle smiled politely.

"Well, at least no one's sent to the Probationary Class." Felicity said to herself.

"That being said... Miss Ahiru!" Mr. Cat glared.

"Uh, yes?" Ahriu spoke up from that.

"You owe your performances entirely to Miss Rue!" Mr. Cat said firmly. "You're in the probationary class!"

"No!" Felicity cried out from that.

Ahiru quaked a bit before covering her mouth and began to waddle backwards.

"Oh, no! Ahiru!" Estelle gasped.

Of course, the two became ducklings as Estelle chased Ahiru out in the hallway as they both waddled out of the classroom.

 **"Of course you must remember, Ahiru is still just only a duck."** Drossel's voice chuckled.

"I hate this!" Estelle cried out. "Why do _I_ have to be a duck too?!"

 **"So much for a youth to learn in such little time."** Drossel's voice teased her.

"Are you teasing me?!" Estelle glared.

Drossel's voice laughed.

"Ooh, if I ever get my hands on you, you're gonna be sorry!" Estelle fumed.


	6. Chapter 6

Once they were turned back to humans, Estelle and Ahiru knew what to do next. Felicity took a walk outside to come check on the two as she felt worried about them.

"We're alright now, Felicity." Estelle smiled.

"I'm sorry about the probation class." Felicity said softly.

"I guess it'll be okay," Ahiru replied. "It's kind of you to stop by though."

"I do my best to be kind." Felicity smiled.

"And you are always so kind." Estelle smiled back.

"So, you're a duckling again..." Felicity said. "Well, you were anyway."

"Guess you remember that time at summer camp when Barbie told Kelly the story about Swan Lake and I had to go." Estelle guessed.

"Oh, yeah," Felicity replied. "It's almost like you were descended from Odette."

"Which one are we referring to; the baker's daughter Odette or the _Princess_ Odette?" Estelle asked.

"Princess Odette of course," Felicity replied. "It would explain how you dance so gracefully like an angel."

"Yeah, it would." Estelle nodded.

"I wish I could dance like you sometimes." Felicity smiled.

"Like Mr. Cat said, you should try your own style." Estelle suggested.

"Oui, that is true," Felicity had to admit. "You girls okay now?"

"Yeah, we're alright." Ahiru said softly.

"I'll help you in probation class, Ahiru." Estelle said.

"Thank you, Estelle..." Ahiru said softly.

"No problem." Estelle smiled.

"I'll try to help too," Felicity said. "...Even if Pike and Lillie might not help out as much."

"They can be helpful in their own way." Ahiru said.

"Hmm..." Felicity and Estelle both paused from that.

* * *

The next day at the probation class soon showed how 'helpful' Pike and Lillie were. Estelle and Felicity stood together while Ahiru took her turn as they came for help and support.

"Try balancing the book like a princess." Felicity suggested using a book to help with Ahiru's posture.

And where Ahiru did just that, but her mind soon wandered off.

"Ooh! Ahiru, focus!" Felicity gasped.

"Tuck your chin in!" Pike added as she put a book on Ahiru's behind.

This caused Ahiru to look down slightly, causing her book to fall off. Estelle and Felicity flinched a bit as that looked bad for Ahiru. Ahiru chuckled nervously from her little blooper.

"Ooh! It's no laughing matter!" Pike fumed suddenly. "If you can't even do that, then you'll never get off of probation!"

"Stop it!" Lillie told Pike as she pushed her away from Ahiru.

"...Nice push..." Estelle blinked as Pike went pretty far from that push. "My twin brother would be impressed."

"Now let's be reasonable!" Lillie cried as she hugged Ahiru. "Ahiru simply isn't capable of doing two things at once!"

"All she has to do is walk with a book on her head!" Pike glared. "Even Felicity thought that was a good idea!"

"It's true." Felicity said.

"It's so simple, she can't do it!" Lillie cried out as she hugged Ahiru. "She simply can't!"

"I wonder about you two sometimes." Felicity pouted.

"Then she'll never be a prima ballerina!" Pike glared.

"No way! She couldn't become one!" Lillie cried out. "Stop saying such awful things!"

Ahiru groaned a bit from Lillie's hold as it was suffocating her.

"Oh, look how hurt she is~" Lillie cooed as she tried to make Ahiru smile by force. "Here, smile! Smile!"

"Hey, it's your fault." Pike told Lillie.

"No way." Lillie replied.

"But for someone on probation, Ahiru has been acting weird and goofy and smiley all day." Pike then remarked.

"Oh, uh, she just has a lot on her mind." Felicity clarified.

"Oh, but she's always been weird." Lillie remarked.

"I mean more than usual!" Pike replied.

"I... I... I..." Ahiru stuttered a bit as she finally spoke up.

"Uh..." Estelle added.

"Did something happen, huh?" Pike and Lillie asked Ahiru.

"Uh, n-no, nothing..." Ahiru stammered nervously. "Not really."

"Liar!" Pike and Lillie glared from that.

"Not that there was anything, but-" Ahiru started.

"So there was!" Pike and Lillie brightened up suddenly from that.

"Well..." Ahiru gulped.

"Come on, Ahiru!" The two girls told their friend. "Spit it out!"

"Maybe you should tell them about that dream we've been having." Estelle told Ahiru.

"Is that a good idea?" Ahiru asked.

"It doesn't hurt to try." Estelle advised as she winked her left eye.

"Uh... Yeah..." Ahiru soon told Lillie and Pike. "So this dream? It's about this one dream I had. There's this really strong and handsome prince in it, but the prince is fighting an evil raven. He can seal the raven away if he uses his heart, but when he uses his heart, he also loses his feelings and the prince always looks so sad and lonely, and-"

"Is that all?" The two girls then asked, a bit impatiently.

"Huh?" Ahiru and Estelle asked.

"Hey, I've heard a story like that before." Pike remarked.

"Story?" Felicity asked.

"It's from _The Prince and the Raven_." Lillie added.

"We haven't heard of it." Estelle said.

"Here, this book right here." Pike said as she picked up one of the fallen books to show them.

And where soon Ahiru and Estelle had a flashback to when they met Drosselmyer.

 **"The prince was a whole-hearted hero who fought the demonic raven,"** Drossel's voice informed. **"He was when they were still inside the story."**

"What's the name of the guy who wrote the story?" Ahiru then asked.

"His name is Drosselmeyer," Pike replied. "Don't you know?"

"No, we didn't know." Estelle said.

"This is no time for silly books and stupid grins!" Pike scolded.

"Hm." Felicity glared slightly.

"Two books are too much for you, Ahiru." Lillie smiled as she picked up the other book to put onto Ahiru's head.

"Gee, thanks." Estelle groaned.

The two girls soon left while wishing Ahiru some luck.

"...I seriously wonder about those two..." Felicity said. "This can't be what it is like to have friends."

"Hey, so the writer, does he live close by?" Ahiru asked Pike and Lillie.

"Huh?" The girls replied.

"No way!" Pike replied. "He died ages ago!"

"What?" Ahiru gasped.

"The story ends part of the way too!" Lillie added.

Estelle soon looked pale after hearing that.

"Oh, yeah, didn't he die while he was writing a book or something?" Pike asked Lillie.

 **"Yes, he ended up losing his heart that I wrote to seal the raven away~"** Drossel's voice said in Estelle and Ahiru's heads.

 _'So Mytho really_ is _the prince from the story.'_ Estelle thought to herself.

"That means the person who wrote the story and the characters in the story came out?" Ahiru asked herself curiously. "There's something strange about that... Though I guess it isn't as strange as a duck turning into a person."

Estelle patted her on the back gently from that.

"That must mean Senor Mytho is actually a prince out of the story," Ahiru smiled. "That must be why he's so handsome then."

"And why he doesn't ever seem to show many emotions." Estelle said.

They soon heard someone coming to the fountain outside which pulled them both out of their reverie.

"Hey, it's Rue," Ahiru realized. "I wonder if she knows about this?"

"Hmm... Maybe..." Estelle said.

Rue was shown to be going after Mytho as he sat on the edge of the fountain.

"Oh, it's Senor Mytho!" Ahiru gasped once she saw the boy she liked.

"I guess he was waiting for her at the fountain." Estelle said.

"Don't get jealous..." Felicity told Ahiru.

"When have I ever gotten jealous?" Ahiru replied.

"Yeah, well, a girl is about to move in on your man." Felicity hid a smirk.

"Oh, ha, ha. Very funny." Ahiru rolled her eyes.

"Just trying to help lighten the mood." Felicity said.

"Thanks, Flick." Estelle sighed softly.

"He's going on a picnic with Rue... Lucky her," Ahiru sighed. "But when you get right down to it, I'm just a duck."

"Ahiru..." Estelle frowned.

"Maybe I'll practice or something." Ahiru then said.

"Hey!" Fakir called out which made her jolt a bit as she saw that she had more company. "You see Mytho around anywhere?"

"Is something the matter with Monsieur Mytho?" Felicity asked sharply.

"He went out without even telling me about it." Fakir replied.

"So? He doesn't always have to tell you where he goes." Estelle said.

"Yeah, after all; he's Rue's boyfriend." Ahiru said which caused Estelle and Felicity to go wide-eyed as that would catch Fakir's attention.

"What? So he's with Rue?" Fakir asked sharply. "So where'd they go?"

Ahiru let out a startled whimper as Fakir looked angry.

"Tell me!" Fakir demanded.

"Uh, I-I don't know!" Ahiru gasped.

"Leave her alone!" Estelle and Lee glared as he arrived at the scene.

Fakir looked over sharply.

"Lee." Estelle smiled.

"I thought you might be here to help out Ahiru." Lee smiled back at her.

"Well, what are friends for?" Estelle asked.

Ahiru looked curious on if Fakir knew about Mytho as he began to leave, so she spoke up to him. "Say, uh, do you happen to know the story of The Prince and the Raven?"

"No, what about it?" Fakir asked a bit sternly.

"Oh, uh, nothing about it, really..." Ahiru said, a bit startled from his tone.

"Just curious." Felicity said.

"A tale for children and nothing more." Fakir huffed as he walked off then.

"Sheesh! What a hard case." Lee said to the girls from that.

"He sure is." Estelle nodded.

"Hmph! Act all high and mighty," Ahiru huffed as she tried to balance herself with the book on her head. "He doesn't have a clue! So, Senor Mytho is a prince from a real story and I'm the only one who knows about it..." she then began.

"Am I invisible?" Estelle smirked.

"Oh! Uh, you too, Estelle!" Ahiru said bashfully from that. "It's up to use to protect my prince."

"Right." Estelle nodded.

The bell tolled as it was go time for the girls.

* * *

"I'm not playing Hooky, I'm just taking a break," Ahiru said to herself. "Besides, if I see Senor Mytho, then I can tell him that that nasty guy was after him."

"Now where did they go?" Estelle asked.

"I wonder if it's okay to tell them...?" Ahiru pondered.

"Mytho is a shy little thing..." A familiar woman's voice said with some music. "If you approach, he will hide..."

"Miss Edel?" Estelle asked as she looked around.

"Mytho is a troubled little thing~" Edel said as she was shown across the street from them. "If you run, he will give into chase."

"Hello, Miss Edel." Estelle smiled.

"Hello, girls," Edel smiled back. "Having doubts, are you?"

"Well, uh, I am." Ahiru admitted.

"Can we talk?" Estelle asked.

"Of course," Edel allowed. "Come with me."

Estelle and Ahiru soon walked with Edel.

"So you see, Miss Edel, there's one person and another person who likes that person and there's another person," Ahiru began to explain. "And that other person has a friend, but that friend isn't exactly friends with that person and another. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Estelle looked lost on what her friend was trying to say.

"A mighty wind can make tree tops sway, but a flame returns to the ground." Edel advised.

"Huh?" Estelle asked, looking confused.

"So, trees and wind and flames, does that mean they could never get along with each other?" Ahiru asked.

"Who's to say?" Edel replied.

"Huh... But if the wind was too strong, it would put out the fire and topple over the trees, which means..." Ahiru tried to think, only to stop. "I don't get it! Well, thanks anyway, Miss Edel!" she then said as she took that time to leave.

"Ahiru, wait up!" Estelle told her as she went after Ahiru.

Edel smiled with a small curtsy.

"Come on, Estelle," Ahiru said. "We got some jobs to do."

"Right." Estelle smiled.

A bat flew over to a nearby tree as Mytho and Rue sat together under a tree with their picnic. Rue seemed to fall asleep as Mytho looked around curiously.

"Hmm... If they're having a picnic, they must be at this park." Ahiru said to Estelle as they came to explore.

"That sounds possible." Estelle nodded.

The bat soon squeaked a bit.

"Felicity?" Estelle blinked and looked around before looking up to a high tree to see a bat.

The bat pointed to the tree that was a little in front of her to show where Mytho and Rue were.

"There they are." Estelle smiled.

Ahiru gasped as she took a look with Estelle.

* * *

"Mytho..." Rue spoke softly with her eyes shut.

"What?" Mytho asked softly.

"I want you to say that you love me." Rue said as she slowly opened her eyes.

"I love you, Rue." Mytho said.

Ahiru nearly quacked before she cupped her mouth in a panic.

"We gotta do something!" Estelle whispered loudly at Ahiru.

"W-We should go back." Ahiru panicked.

"Oh, Ahiru." Estelle frowned softly.

"I'm sorry," Felicity told them from the tree as she was back to normal. "I tried to help."

"It's okay, Felicity," Estelle replied. "I better try to help comfort Ahiru."

"Really?" Rue asked Mytho.

"Really," Mytho replied much to the chagrin of Ahiru. "I really love you."

"I'm getting thirsty." Rue soon said as Ahiru and Estelle continued to watch the two interact with each other.

Mytho soon brought out a glass bottle of lemonade for Rue to drink.

"Huh?!" Ahiru gasped from that.

"I think I would like to drink some water," Rue smiled as she brought the bottle back. "Get it for me?"

"Yes." Mytho nodded from that.

"Uh-oh, he's coming this way." Felicity said.

"Oh! Oh! What do I do?!" Ahiru yelped. "He might see me!"

"I think it's time to walk away." Estelle suggested.

"Agreed." Ahiru told her.

They then walked off as Ahiru was a little pouty.

"Man! They're perfect for each other," Ahiru said. "But they didn't look like they were having very much fun with each other. He said something like that to me," she said before her face turned red. "Uh... L-Like that..."

"Uh, Ahiru?" Estelle asked before she saw Ahiru starting to run around while her face was red.

Ahiru seemed to be alone in her own little world as she kept spinning around as she turned more and more red, almost as red as the color of her hair.

"Ahiru, look out in front of you!" Estelle warned.

Unfortunately for her, Ahiru bumped into someone in front of her. Estelle cupped her mouth, a bit worriedly.

"E-Excuse me..." Ahiru said bashfully before she stood up to see who it was which began to make her babble. "Oh! Senor Mytho!"

Estelle and Felicity simply sighed as Ahiru kept babbling on.

"I didn't get this way with Lee, did I?" Estelle asked her cousin.

"I don't think so based on what you told moi about him before I met him," Felicity replied. "But... Yeah... She could use some help in the department of talking with boys."

"Looks like it." Estelle said.

"So... You help her!" Felicity smiled bashfully. "I know not of how to speak with boys."

"Okay." Estelle smiled back before walking over to help Ahiru.

"So about the weather today," Ahiru babbled to Mytho. "So it might be a little bright during the day, but I'm sure it'll be a little dark at night!"

"Try talking about something else." Estelle whispered to Ahiru.

"Oh! You know what?" Ahriu then asked Mytho. "I really love taking walks and you really love Rue, right?"

Estelle face-palmed from that.

"Probably." Mytho then said.

"Probably?" Ahiru asked.

"I guess I don't really understand what love really is," Mytho said as he took out the water bottle. "But Rue and Fakir are the only ones who will tell me what to do, so-"

"Y-You don't understand love, Senor Mytho?" Ahiru asked him.

"Mytho's fine." Mytho said softly as he decided to walk off. As he walked off, his hand was scratched by one of the branches of a close-by bush.

Ahiru let out a small yelp as that startled her. "Senor Mytho! I mean, Mytho! Your hand!" she then cried out.

"Oh." Mytho said as he saw a cut on his hand, but he barely reacted to it.

"D-Does it hurt?" Ahiru asked.

"No, so why the weird face?" Mytho replied.

"Is it really a weird face?" Ahiru asked flatly before flipping out again. "Aaaugh! But you're hurt, Mytho!"

"We should use some water so it isn't infected." Estelle said.

Ahiru found herself lost in Mytho's eyes... The Prince's eyes... The poor prince lost his feelings from his heart, that's why he didn't know about loving or hurting.

"Ahiru?" Estelle asked softly.

"Then I'll do my best!" Ahiru suddenly shouted out.

"At what?" Mytho asked.

Ahiru babbled a bit again of nothing in particular.

"Oh, Ahiru." Estelle sighed a little, but she had more faith in her than Lillie or Pike ever would.

"That injury!" Ahiru soon said as some water came onto Mytho's hand where his cut. "That injury will only get worse if you don't wash it! Nothing too bad..." she then gasped as she saw the empty water bottle. "That water that you went and got! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I'll go run and get some more!"

"Let's go and find some water then." Estelle told Ahiru.

And so, they walked off at that.

* * *

"That being said, river water just wouldn't cut it," Ahiru said as they walked off. "Rue deserves better after all. Water from any of these houses wouldn't work either, right? Where should I get it from?"

"Oh, boy... I guess we wandered out of town." Estelle said as she realized where they were.

They soon saw that they had accidentally brought Mytho along with them.

"Gah! Mytho, you just stay right here and we'll get the water and be right back!" Ahiru yelped at the boy as she flailed her arms around wackily. "Wait... I mean, where could we find water?" she then asked softly.

"Right over there." Mytho said as he pointed out to a cottage.

"Huh? I didn't know there was a cottage here." Estelle said.

"That's a restaurant!" Ahiru beamed. "Some restaurant water would be fine, huh?"

"Maybe." Mytho replied.

"Yeah, restaurant water would be fine." Estelle smiled.

They soon came to the door which had a bit of an odd name at the door.

"I wonder if that's the restaurant's name?" Ahiru wondered as they came to go inside.

"Maybe they're open." Estelle said as she knocked on the door.

"Excuse us?" Ahiru called out.

"Yes?" A woman's voice replied as an eye was shown to them.

"Oh! Uh! Sorry!" Ahiru yelped as that startled her a bit. "This is a restaurant, right?"

The woman paused before coming out with a wide smile on her face as she looked a bit overly-friendly. "Yes! Yes, it is!"

"Oh, that's great because-" Estelle started.

"Oh! One moment, please!" The woman squealed as she suddenly shut the door on them which made the girls yelp out as they fell and hit the floor from that.

"Well, she is certainly energetic." Estelle said.

There was some crashing sounds heard from the inside.

"Thank you for waiting!" The woman smiled as she opened the door for them. "Welcome! Come in! I am the owner and chef here!"

"Really? Whoa." Estelle said.

"How did you find out about this place?" The woman asked. "Did a friend tell you?"

"No..." Ahiru replied.

"Then did you go out of your way to find it?" The woman then asked.

"No, not really." Ahiru smiled bashfully.

"We kind of found this restaurant as if by a coincidence." Estelle said.

"It wasn't your chance now?" The woman asked.

"Something like that." Estelle replied.

"Oh, how very splendid!" The woman beamed as she spun at them with a crazy-looking smile on her face. "I never had customers like that before! Now please, sit down, both of you."

"But ma'am, we just came here for some water." Estelle said.

"Just... For some water?" The woman repeated softly.

"Oh, we... I... I'm so sorry!" Ahiru cried out from that before she bent down, a bit shamefully.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" The woman then grinned. "How about I get you something?"

"Um..." Estelle said before feeling her stomach growl.

"Uh, but we don't have any money." Ahiru spoke up.

"Oh, it's fine!" The woman told the girls as she made them sat down as Ahiru's pendent briefly glowed. "It doesn't matter!"

"Oh! Ahiru, your pendant..." Estelle whispered from that.

"Does that mean she has a heart shard?" Ahiru whispered back.

Estelle and Ahiru both looked in suspense of what this could possibly mean for them.


	7. Chapter 7

Meanwhile, Felicity took a walk by herself as she wondered what to do as she saw Rue still asleep by the tree where Mytho had left her after their picnic together. She soon saw Fakir arriving on a horse.

"Where did Mytho go?" he soon asked a sleeping Rue.

"I don't know..." Rue said softly.

"Don't ever take him out without telling me." Fakir told her, a bit sharply.

"Oh, and like he's yours to control?" Felicity whispered to herself sharply.

"Mytho doesn't belong to you." Rue mumbled to Fakir.

"Nor to you." Fakir retorted.

"They're both right about him not belonging to either of them." Felicity said to herself.

Rue soon got up onto her feet to get away from Fakir.

"You don't make mention of a feeling..." Fakir then said.

"What's that?" Rue asked as she glanced at him.

"Where is Mytho?" Fakir demanded.

"He went for some water and hasn't come back yet."

"By himself?"

"Who else would he be going with?" Rue smirked from that. "This isn't like you at all."

"Yes, why are you so frantic for?" Felicity smirked to herself as she watched them to keep an eye out for Estelle and Ahiru.

Fakir's horse briefly reared up and began to get ready to leave the scene.

"Wait, if you're going off to find him; I'm coming with." Rue said.

"Uh-oh..." Felicity said to herself as she took that time to leave. "I should warn Estelle and Ahiru."

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile with Estelle, Ahiru, and Mytho..._**

"Please help yourselves to some food!" The woman beamed as she threw down plates of food on the table where the teenagers were.

"Ma'am, if you could-" Ahiru spoke up.

"Give you some more? Oh, right!" The woman said before she walked off again. "This is hardly enough!"

"No, she means get us some water!" Estelle called out.

"Oh! Let me see~..." The woman said before she walked off again.

"Phew..." Estelle sighed. "Maybe that time, she'll actually listen to us."

"Yeah, maybe, but doesn't she seem suspicious to you?" Ahiru asked.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," Estelle said before she tried to eat some food, but she shivered a bit. "Oof... This soup's a little cold."

"Really?" Ahiru asked.

Estelle tried some other foods, but they all seemed to be cold as well. Ahiru soon tried food with Estelle only to have the same result while Mytho seemed not to notice or didn't care.

"All this food is cold." Estelle said.

"Why are they all cold?" Ahiru pondered to herself. "There's not much taste to them either."

"They look so good too." Estelle pouted.

"Rainbow trout Meunière!" The eccentric woman offered as she showed a hot plate of food that had a fish on it.

"Well, this one looks freshly cooked." Estelle said.

Ahiru took a bite, only to shiver. "Augh! Cold..."

"That's impossible!" Estelle cried out.

"Rabbit Creme Stew... Piping hot dumpling salad... Grilled pork shinks!" The woman offered more and more plates of food for them.

Estelle and Ahiru soon ate all three foods only to get the same results.

"They're cold," Ahiru whimpered to herself. "Why?"

"Hey," Estelle whispered loudly towards Mytho. "Don't you think there's something strange here?"

"What?" Mytho asked as he ate quietly.

"Like, why all this food is so cold." Estelle started.

"Or why she's feeding us for free." Ahiru added from what Estelle said as she agreed.

"I didn't notice." Mytho said as he ate the food with a blank look on his face.

"Oh, right." Estelle said.

Ahiru realized something about that too as she looked into Mytho's eyes. He couldn't even tell when something feels strange.

"Here's your dessert and that concludes Course 8!" The woman beamed as she brought out sundaes for the teenagers. "Now for the next course!"

"Next course?" Estelle asked with a groan.

"Okay! Listen," Ahiru said to Mytho before whispering at him. "I'm going to the restroom."

"Okay." Mytho replied as he kept eating, mindlessly.

Ahiru soon went to the restroom.

"Maybe I should've gone with her..." Estelle said to herself quietly.

"All right, I better hurry up and check." Ahiru said to herself as she got to a space by herself. She soon heard the woman talking to herself.

* * *

"Oh, that's right..." The woman's voice said. "It's been so long since we had a customer. They're eating so much, but I have to have them eat more."

Ahiru poked her head into the room as the woman seemed to be sharpening her cleaver.

"Who will taste better?" The woman then asked with her creepy smile plastered onto her face. "You or you?"

"Who will taste better?" Ahiru whispered to herself. "What does she mean?" She soon seemed to get an answer as she glanced out the window to see a gravestone which made her look a bit green around the gills as it didn't look very good.

Estelle stuck her tongue out a bit as Mytho kept eating the food before Ahiru came back. "Oh, Ahiru, you're back," she then said. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"What should I do?" Ahiru whimpered to herself. "At this rate, I'll be..." she then gulped about becoming a roast duck dish before she tried to be brave. "I don't care what happens to me, but M-Mytho! I've gotta save him!"

"...Something happened." Estelle realized from her friend's worrisome reactions.

"Estelle, we have to get to out of here before it's too late!" Ahiru told her.

"This sounds serious," Estelle replied before she got up. "Let's go, Mytho."

"I know a story that goes like this," Ahiru then said to help motivate Mytho into moving with them. "A brother and a sister lost in a forest find a gingerbread house and a kind old woman lets them in and serves them all kinds of food, but she's really fattening them up to eat them afterwards!"

Mytho let out a shrug from that as he just kept on eating.

"It sounds almost similar to our situation." Estelle said.

"It's no good!" Ahiru whimpered. "Mytho doesn't know he's in danger! We gotta get out!"

"Look out, Ahiru!" Estelle warned.

Ahiru tripped from her chair leg and hit the fireplace as she tripped onto the floor which made a box from the fireplace mantle come down and land beside her.

"You okay?" Estelle asked as she helped Ahiru up.

"I... I think so..." Ahiru said softly.

They soon saw the box from mantle had opened to show recipe cards and a picture inside it.

"A recipe box..." Estelle observed. "My Grandmother Elizabeth has one of these."

"And a photograph?" Ahiru added. "What're these?"

"What're you doing?" The woman smiled from right behind the two girls who had found her recipe box.

"Nothing!" Estelle yelped.

"Uh, we were thinking of going soon." Ahiru added nervously.

"...No!" The woman said firmly. "You can't! I still got my dishes to cook!"

"M-More?" Estelle gulped.

"More must be eaten!" The woman glared. "Much more!"

"More for what?!" Ahiru cried out.

"You'll stay 'til you're done!" The woman growled.

"But how can we keep eating when we're already full?!" Estelle and Ahiru told her.

The woman stared at them blankly for a few moments. "...I see." she then said.

Estelle and Ahiru breathed in relief as they got that off their chest.

"Well, then, how 'bout you?" The woman then asked Mytho. "You'll eat more, right?"

"Probably." Mytho shrugged.

"What?!" Estelle panicked.

* * *

The girls were thrown out of the restaurant and locked out the door which prompted them to slam on the door to be let back in.

"Open up!" Ahiru cried out. "Please open up!"

"If you won't eat anymore, maybe you can go home!" The woman's voice told them from the other side.

"We are not leaving our friend, now open up!" Estelle told her.

"Locked!" Ahiru gasped as she tried to open the door. "Oh, Mytho..."

"A witch going awry is a story going awry~..." Drossel's voice smirked. "Much too shy to open their homes into people's hearts..."

"Oh, great, it's you," Estelle sighed as she heard Drossel's voice. "Just what we need."

"It seems of a heart that is too pure is a burden," Drossel continued. "Now tell me, how will you handle this story, Princess Tutu?"

"We'll shine brightly like a shooting star." Estelle replied as that was enough to help Ahiru as her pendant glowed which only meant one thing.

"Those little nuisances are gone now," The woman told Mytho. "You just keep eating," She soon noticed the glow of light from the door. "Who could that be?" she asked herself as she got the door. "Who's there?"

The glow soon faded to show both Estelle and Ahiru from their transformation.

"Mealtime has now ended." Ahiru said as she twirled over towards Mytho.

"It is time to sleep now, Mytho." Estelle smiled.

"Please, my prince, you must rest awhile." Ahiru suggested as vines came out that tied up the witchy woman while freeing Mytho from the dinner table.

Mytho suddenly looked tired as he began to fall asleep as he got comfortable.

"Rest is best." Estelle smiled.

"My customer!" The woman cried out. "Give me back my customer!"

"Please come dance with us, Miss Ebine." Ahiru invited.

"I am not a dancer," The woman backed away. "My job is not to dance, my job is to cook and to have my customers eat my cooking."

"But then why is your cooking so bland and cold?" Estelle asked.

"Having your heart filled with kind food is filled with deliciousness." Ebine replied.

"Then why? Why would you feed your costumers food that doesn't have that taste?" Estelle asked.

"I don't know what you girls are up to, but you're not taking away my customer!" Ebine glared as she was starting to get mad.

"But Miss Ebine-" Estelle started.

"I'm not letting him go anywhere!" Ebine cried out as she brought out what looked like a black tornado. "Stay away!"

"Miss Ebine!" Ahiru called as she looked concerned for the woman now. "What is that feeling in that shard?"

"It must be loneliness." Estelle said.

"I just wanted to enjoy my cooking!" Ebine cried out from the sky. "That's what a restaurant is for!"

"But why would you force your customer to eat such a cold and bland meal?" Ahiru asked as she twirled which made a balcony grow out for her and Estelle to catch up with Ebine and Mytho with. "Why would you lock him up? I want you to tell me what is you're feeling, Miss Ebine."

"What I'm feeling..." Ebine said with teary eyes.

"Please tell us." Estelle begged.

"Come dance with us, Miss Ebine..." Ahiru offered as she brought out her hand.

Ebine soon took the girl's hand as she began to dance with her as she seemed to feel better. And as she danced with them, memories of her life with her late husband were soon shown.

"Aww..." Estelle whispered sadly as she saw what was up.

"Back then, I felt a little uncertainty, but mostly bliss," Ebine said as she danced with Ahiru. "I had a thirst for atmosphere... Happy, warm conversation. Delicious, delicious food."

"What a wonderful restaurant," Ahiru remarked. "What a wonderful couple."

Estelle smiled as she could tell this was helping.

"We'd share dishes," Ebine smiled as she thought about her husband. "I'd ask 'Who would taste better, you or you?', he'd tease me and say 'You', he was most happiest for me."

"I see..." Estelle replied as her eyes glowed like she felt an Element of Harmony, feeling as generous as her Aunt Rarity.

Ahiru soon remembered Ebine asked that question by herself.

"But, there's no one left to tease me about it if I ask about it," Ebine said, a bit emotionally as her memories flooded by. "I have a recipe box to share recipes for the person who's no longer here. I'm so lonely."

"These memories almost seem like Core memories for her..." A voice spoke up.

Estelle looked to the side to see a blonde girl who was very familiar to her which was a cousin of hers from Jessica and Christopher. "Riley, is that you?" she then asked.

"It's been a while, Cousin." Riley greeted Estelle as she appeared from nowhere.

"When did you get here?" Estelle asked.

"The memories summoned me," Riley replied. "I'm an emotion-bender and I have some help with me."

"Yeah?" Estelle asked.

"These are my emotions," Riley said as she showed five beings beside her that were different colors and had different looks on their faces. "Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger."

"Nice." Estelle smiled.

"I was summoned to help out as these memories were shown," Riley said. "After I turned 12, I found out that I'm an emotion-bender which means that I can help out here. I'm deeply attached to my emotions and may even be more over-emotional than others. I can sense peoples' emotions, manipulate emotions, or even use attacks based on emotions."

"We were told to tell her in a dream of hers, so then we met through her dream and been helping your cousin ever since," Joy advised. "We got a call here as this woman seemed to be in pain, even if she was forcing you and your friend to eat yourselves sick."

"But that was just so she wouldn't be lonely." Sadness said.

"That makes sense..." Estelle admitted. "She felt hurt and alone, so she needed our company to make herself feel better."

"And that explains why that heart shard is with her." Anger said.

"So she wanted her customers to stay as long as possible," Estelle concluded to herself. "She wanted to at least have that."

"You are too right!" Ebine replied from that.

"Aww..." Sadness frowned.

"I don't know how she expects people to stay with that kinda food anyway," Disgust groaned. "It looks so bland and cold."

"Believe me, it was." Estelle said to the green emotion.

"You are feeling the loneliness..." Ahiru told Ebine softly.

"The loneliness..." The image of Mytho added.

"Looks like a certain feeling needs to return home." Joy said.

The others nodded to that.

"Thanks, Riley." Estelle smiled at her distant cousin.

"No problem," Riley smiled back. "Hopefully we can hang out more together sometime."

"This is not where you belong." Ahiru told Ebine as she got into a dancing stance.

"She's is correct." Estelle said.

"Then I must go..." Mytho's image soon said.

"Wait! Don't go!" Ebine cried out. "Please, I'll be all alone again!"

"Don't worry, you won't be left alone, Miss Ebine," Ahiru smiled softly. "Because you have recipes left from the one you love."

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Estelle added as she brought out the lilypad and the flower bloomed out to show the recipe box, opening up for Ebine.

Riley and the emotions smiled, knowing that would keep Ebine happy and not alone.

"Lots of dishes are waiting," Ahiru advised. "One team to be made. A gift left for you from the one you loved. The power to turn loneliness into strength."

Ebine looked tearful from that before she hugged the recipe box that seemed to send her away. "My dear..." she whimpered through the emotional tears for her lost husband.

Estelle smiled, happy to know that Ebine wouldn't be lonely anymore.

"I feel like I could cook more dishes again..." Ebine said softly. "Warm, just like your heart."

"Follow your heart, Miss Ebine," Estelle smiled. "We believe in you."

"That's right." Ahiru added.

"We'll make the wonderful restaurant again," Ebine said as she went away to a closing door. "Please help me again... My dear."

Mytho was soon freed from the vines which allowed Ahiru to help him out.

"My prince, your feelings were long inside of you, but now belongs within your heart." Ahiru smiled as she gave a piece to Mytho which made him hold his chest as he stood beside her. She then gave a curtsy as she turned to walk away with him.

"Farewell." Estelle curtsied to Mytho before joining Ahiru.

"Thank you both." Mytho said emotionally.

Ahiru blushed a bit as Mytho looked right into her eyes as she dashed off with Estelle. The forest soon reappeared as Mytho was now on his own as the girls hid away from him, back in their school uniforms.

* * *

"We're getting the hang of this." Estelle said.

"I guess we really are," Ahiru replied. "I'm glad you're here with me though, Estelle."

"I'm glad too, Ahiru." Estelle beamed from that.

"I'm gonna talk with Mytho." Ahiru then said as she took a few deep breaths to muster up the courage.

"Alright." Estelle smiled.

Ahiru was soon about to go, only for Mytho to be met with Rue.

"No!" Estelle gasped. "Why did she have to come just now?"

"Mytho, hey, what are you doing here?" Fakir asked as he came to Mytho.

"Oh, nothing." Mytho said softly.

"So what happened, Mytho?" Fakir demanded.

"Princess Tutu." Mytho said softly.

"Uh, Ahiru, I think we should go." Estelle whispered.

Ahiru shook a bit before looking over.

"Let's get you out of here," Estelle told Ahiru, removing her from the sight like a good friend. "Come on... Let's walk."

"Okay." Ahiru said.

But just as they were about to leave...

"She appeared and touched me." Mytho continued.

"Princess Tutu?" Fakir asked in disbelief.

"This is ridiculous," Rue remarked. "That's just a story."

'Just ignore her, just ignore her.' Estelle thought to herself.

'Tutu is apart of the story too?' Ahiru thought to herself. "But I'm just a duck!'

"Though blessed with beauty, cleverness, and strength," Rue said to the boys. "She's still a princess, faded to never be with her prince; when she confesses her love, she turns into a speck of light."

"That's what I didn't want Ahiru to hear." Estelle whispered to herself.

Ahiru ran off at that.

"Oh, Ahiru." Estelle frowned.

"This isn't part of the story!" Ahiru cried out as she ran off. "Tutu is part of the story and I'm a duck!"

Estelle began to run after her friend.

"I can't do it!" Ahiru cried. "Tutu is-"

"That's right... Tutu is a tragic princess~..." Drossel's voice replied. "Not all stories are guaranteed a happily ever after."

"But that doesn't mean we have to follow the destiny of our fate; we can write our destinies." Estelle told Drossel and Ahiru.

 ** _"Whoever told you that?"_** Drossel's voice chuckled.

"You stay out of this." Estelle told Drossel's voice.

 ** _"Can't I ask you a question?"_ **Drossel's voice replied.

"Lots of people told me that," Estelle huffed. "Especially in my parents' stories such as those times at Ever After High or that princess from Scotland, Merida."

"That works?" Ahiru gasped.

"Don't listen to him, Ahiru," Estelle advised. "He's just trying to get to you."

"Oh..." Ahiru pouted before hugging Estelle. "I don't deserve a friend like you."

"Everyone deserves a friend who will be there by your side, to comfort you when you're sad, and pick you up when you're down." Estelle smiled as she hugged her back.

Ahiru smiled back from that.

"Ah... True friends..." Drossel chuckled. "It's so adorable."

"And we're going to ignore him for the time being." Estelle told Ahiru.

"Do you really think I can do this?" Ahiru asked. "You don't think I'm hopeless?"

"I never think that my friends are hopeless," Estelle smiled. "After all, friendship is magic."

"Aw." Ahiru smiled back

"But shouldn't we get back to your probationary class?" Estelle asked.

"Oh... I guess we should..." Ahiru said. "You don't have to help me."

"I want to," Estelle replied. "We're friends, Ahiru. Whether you're a duck or not."

"Aw." Ahiru smiled.

Estelle smiled back as they soon decided to get going back to school.

"I do wonder what Rue's class must be like?" Felicity said to herself thoughtfully. She soon had a thought of how to find out.

"Felicity, I'm going with Ahiru, okay?" Estelle said to her cousin.

"Okay, Estelle," Felicity replied. "I'll be... Uh... Around."

Estelle nodded before she left with Ahiru as Felicity wandered off on her own.

 _'Oh, please let us get back to the room before Mr. Cat does.'_ Estelle thought to herself.

* * *

Luckily, they seemed to make it which made both girls breathe in relief. They soon began to practice while Felicity began to wander into the special classroom, she cracked the door open as she saw Rue in front of her glass, preforming a special dance with the rest of the class watching her in action.

"She sure is talented." Felicity whispered to herself.

Rue kept on dancing to the flow of the music. Felicity soon attempted to try to do Rue's style of dancing on her own as the black-haired girl practiced for her class.

"Are you enjoying the show?" Rue asked Felicity.

"Oh!" Felicity gasped. "Erm... Actually, I am..." she then said bashfully. "You remind me of when my cousin Estelle and I were little girls... She just loved to dance more than anything else in the world."

"I can tell by how well she danced with me," Rue said. "I'm just surprised Mr. Cat didn't assign her to the special class; then again, there is only room enough for five."

"That is true," Felicity replied. "Perhaps Estelle could try again for maybe next year."

"You could try too." Rue smiled.

"Oh! Uh... Moi?" Felicity gasped.

"You really are quite unique." Rue replied warmly.

"Merci." Felicity smiled.

"You should be part of the class." Rue said.

"Oh, I'm not sure if I would be good enough, but I really appreciate the thought." Felicity beamed as she felt useful.

"Well, our door is always open." Rue said.

"I appreciate the thought," Felicity smiled. "I feel so useful now!"

"You should," Rue smiled back. "It was really nice to meet you better, Felicity."

Felicity looked bashful and happy before she soon wandered off, away from the classroom.


End file.
